Ear infections can be extremely painful, and nothing is worse than hearing your child cry out in pain and not being able to do anything about it. Ear infections, or otitis media, account for more than 35% of pediatric visits per year. About half of all children will have an ear infection by the time they are 12 months old, and two-thirds will have had one by the time they are three years old. It can be caused by either bacteria or a virus, and is a common after-effect of having a cold or other illness.
If the culprit of the infection is bacteria, an antibiotic might help (of course, it won’t help if the cause is a virus, which most are), but studies have shown antibiotics to be little more effective than the natural immune system, and could lead to drug-resistant bacteria that can’t be touched by antibiotics. Even if the antibiotics kill all of the bacteria causing the infection, they do nothing for the fluid buildup (which is needed for the bacteria that cause the pain to grow), and leave a perfect breeding ground for the next batch of bacteria to settle in and cause problems.
Ear Tubes and Surgery
For many kids, it can become a yearly problem, resulting in numerous doctor visits to get the same medication that probably didn’t work last time, and might not work this time. It can lead to getting ear tubes, a costly procedure that sometimes fall out and needs to be repeated in about 1 of every 4 children. The natural Eustachian tubes should do this, but for some reason they’re not.
Aside from the surgery, getting ear tubes requires a general anesthetic, never a small matter when used on a child. Frequent ear infections are the second most common cause for surgery in children under 2 years of age. Too much fluid in the ears can lead to impaired hearing, which may lead to impaired speech as their speech develops.
Fighting These Annoying and Painful Infections the Natural Way
Upper cervical adjustments can help the flow of this fluid buildup out of the ear through the Eustachian tubes, clearing it out of any breeding grounds for new bacteria or virus. They also help the body’s immune system to function at the highest level, making it better able to fight the infection naturally.
The child usually needs to get through one ear infection to produce the immune response necessary to fight off further infections, but you should still bring them in so they can get better as soon as possible, and stay better as long as possible.
Request an appointment today and take the first step to better health with Burtis Chiropractic Center.
How Chiropractic Helps Ear Infections