Ear Infections & Antibiotics
at Grimes Family Chiropractic
Antibiotics are a typical “treatment” for ear infections. Are they safe? Are they necessary? Ear infection, or otitis media, is the most common reason for visits to the pediatrician’s office. It is estimated that over 30 million visits are made every year to deal with this problem.
Otitis media is the general name for several conditions affecting the middle ear. The most common symptoms are earache, a feeling of pressure, and sometimes difficulty hearing due to increased amounts of fluid. Teething often produces similar symptoms, so one must carefully observe before jumping to any conclusions. Historically, antibiotics have been used to treat ear infections. This method of treatment has been under severe attack over the past several years for many reasons.
Additionally, antibiotics have been used, because study after study has shown they are not effective. In other words, they don’t work! This is why so many children are on one antibiotic after another, stronger and stronger each time. Sure, many times the infection will go away, but it quickly returns with a vengeance. Why do the infections recur?
The real question then is: What is the cause of ear infections? The reality is that ear infections themselves are merely a symptom of a greater problem. The vast majority of them are secondary to a cold or other infection, which may be due to a depressed immune system. The other more physical reason children suffer from ear infections is because of the actual anatomy of the young ear.
In adults, the Eustachian tube is inserted at a nearly 45 degree angle. In children, however, it is nearly horizontal. This often slows draining of these tubes, allowing fluid to build. Like most stagnant fluids, infection may appear. The obvious question from most parents now is: What can we do?
At Grimes Family Chiropractic, our primary objective is to address the root cause of health problems through natural chiropractic care. Treating symptoms proves unsuccessful at best. When dealing with your children and their ear infections, our goal is to correct the actual cause and allow the body to function at its optimal potential. Correcting the cause through chiropractic care has been shown to help over 80% of all children suffering with ear infections.
There is a direct link between the nerves in the neck (the superior cervical ganglion), the muscles of the Eustachian tubes (tensor veli palatini), and the middle ear. The middle ear drains any fluid through the Eustachian tubes. These tubes open and close through the action of a muscle, which is controlled by a nerve that originates in the neck.
When this nerve is not functioning normally, the tensor veli palatini muscle may go into spasm. This spasming constricts the Eustachian tube, which restricts drainage and causes fluid to build up in the middle ear. This fluid, combined with a stressed immune system, may result in an ear infection. Ultimately, then, this “nerve disturbance” can cause your children to be susceptible and suffer. Our job as a chiropractor is to detect this nerve disturbance (called subluxation), and correct it.
A subluxation is a misalignment of a bone in the spine that pinches, stretches, or twists a nerve, resulting in disturbance. By correcting this disturbance, your child’s body is given the potential to heal, be well, and function as it was intended. With proper chiropractic care, your child may live a life free from nerve disturbance and drugs.
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