About Eric P. Wilkinson, MD Expertise I am a board-certified otolaryngologist with additional subspecialty training in otology, neurotology, and skull base surgery. This is the subspecialty of otolaryngology that involves the ear, hearing, balance organs, the facial nerve, and surgery of the skull base including surgery for acoustic neuroma and other benign and malignant tumors of the base of the skull.
Experience Medical school, residency in otolaryngology, fellowship in otology/neurotology/skull base surgery
Organizations American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery North American Skull Base Society American Neurotology Society
Publications Laryngoscope Otology and Neurotology
Education/Credentials MD Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 2001 Otolaryngology Residency, University of Iowa Department of Otolaryngology, Iowa City, IA Otology/Neurotology Fellowship, House Ear Clinic, Los Angeles, CA
Expert: Eric P. Wilkinson, MD Date: 10/24/2007 Subject: Ear pain and popping in my 5 yr old.
Question My son had tubes put in and his adenoids removed when he was 2. He is now 5 and was having some pain in his right ear so we went to the doctor. After being examined the ENT said his tubes needed to come out. The right ear had some irritation and something white forming around the tube. I can't remember the name but the doctor went in and sucked some of it out before the tube was removed. His tubes were removed one month ago. He still complains of pain in the right ear. We went for his follow up last week and the ENT said everything looked fine. He did also say he seen some wax build up on his eardrum and if any other doctor were to look at it they would think something was wrong. He told us it would eventually work itself out and it was ok. He also wanted to blame my son on making up the pain which didn't set well with me because my son would not do that. Also a couple of weeks before the removal he had two nosebleeds and has never had one before. The ENT said it wasn't related to the tube needing to come out. He hasn't had anymore nosebleeds until today. Do you think the nosebleeds are related to the ear problem? Do you think the ear popping and pain in the ear is caused from the wax or could something else still be wrong? Thank you for any advice on this matter.
Answer Nosebleeds after tube removal can be due to blood coming down the Eustachian tube, or it can be from nasal trauma. It sounds as though you might want to get a second ENT opinion to rule out any persistent ear disease, or trapping of skin behind the eardrum after tube placement.
