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
Question I have had severe headaches for the past 2 - 3 months, the headaches are on my forehead right between my eyes. I take 3 - 4 Excedrin a day to try to help with the headaches. Around the same time, my hearing is real muffled, it just feels like someone has their hands cupped over my ears. I finally broke down and went to see and ENT, I told him my symptoms, he did a hearing test and told me I have a little bit of nerve deafness. I'm only 32 years old, aren't I awful young to have nerve deafness? Anyway, they did a CAT Scan and everything came back normal, he put me on Nasacort Nasal Spray, 2 sprays up each nostril once a day. That isn't doing anything at all. The ENT suspects I have sinus problems, but nothing showed up in the CT Scan, so I'm not sure what to do next. Can you recommend anything, what would my next step be? I can't handle these headaches, I have 2 small children and I have to be up and around to take care of them, not down on the couch everyday with a headache. Please Help, thank you,
Answer The headaches sound like tension headaches, but you should probably see a neurologist who specializes in headache for a full evaluation. I doubt this is related to your hearing. Many people have small degrees of nerve deafness. If your ears are symmetric, then imaging probably is not indicated. If one ear is markedly worse, then you may need an MRI scan with gadolinium to evaluate your inner ear. Hope this helps. Good luck!
