When I was a child I suffered from chronic ear infections. I remember getting them often and suffering miserably from pain and a sense that it was impossible for me to be normal in the summer. I loved to swim but often the swimming would kick off a round of ear infections that would render my mother and me almost mad. One time I remember a birthday party that I wanted to attend which involved swimming in a pool at a friend’s house. My ear was already hurting a bit, but I didn’t tell my mom because I knew she wouldn’t let me go swimming. I went swimming, and my ear got worse. I still refused to tell her for two or three days until one day the pain suddenly got so bad that I could no longer stand it. We went to the emergency room and discovered that I had allowed my right eardrum to rupture from the buildup of pressure inside it. I outgrew my ear infections thankfully. Many mothers today are faced with this same problem and are frustrated by endless rounds of antibiotic therapy, tube insertions, and upset children who are put through these invasive treatments often to no avail.
As a chiropractor I have learned to find many creative ways of dealing with physical conditions in both adults and children. As many of us know the old axiom that “As the student is ready the teacher appears” is very true. I have been blessed with many pediatric cases in the 5 years that I have been practicing and some of the most recent cases of otitis media, or middle ear infections, have taught me volumes. We have been getting amazing results with children who have ear infections, and I thought I would share how this actually happens. Often people ask why children go to chiropractors, and treatment of ear infections is one of the main reasons we see them. Parents today are very concerned about the overuse of antibiotic medications, and this is the first line of defense in the medical arena often when a child suffers from ear infections. Ironically, according to Chris Hendricks, D.C. in a study done for the Journal of Chiropractic Research, Study, and Clinical Investigation, a full 40% of otitis media cases are caused by the buildup of sterile fluid in the ear and will not respond to antibiotic treatment. That leaves 60% of the cases which have some other cause, and they are not all related to something that an antimicrobial medication can help.
The key to the cause of middle ear infections is the lack of proper drainage of a tube in the ear called the Eustachian tube. The Eustachian tubes connect the middle ear to the nasal sinuses. The middle ear cavity and the sinuses are constantly building up a mucus-type fluid and a mechanism is required by the body to clear the fluid. When the Eustachian tubes function normally, fluid is drained and pressure inside the middle ear cavity is equalized. There is a tiny muscle which is responsible for this action, and it is called the tensor veli palatini muscle. The nerve supply to the tensor veli palatini muscle comes ultimately from the nerves which are in the upper cervical area of the spine. If one of the cervical vertebrae is out of alignment and is putting pressure on the nerves which supply this very important muscle, it cannot do its job and the Eustachian tubes can become blocked. A chiropractor can analyze the spine and determine which vertebra is the offender. By gently adjusting the spine of the child the nerve pressure is eliminated and the muscle can then perform its duties as before. We have seen this happen numerous times and the results are amazing.
There are many invasive procedures which are avoided by trying the most conservative route first. At the very least parents should become aware of the risks of invasive surgeries and the many antimicrobial medications versus their benefits before subjecting their children to them. The body’s amazing recuperative powers can be re-awakened by simply restoring proper nerve supply to the body. Ask your chiropractor about treatments that are available for children. You might also learn more about chiropractic care for children by visiting the website for the International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association at www.icpa4kids.com. If the conservative efforts of your chiropractor are not successful, then try the medical route. You will not have lost anything by going in this direction, and you will have given yourself a good education about how the body really works. Treat your body well.