Chiropractic + Ear Infections
I have been working with kids in a chiropractic setting for over 10 years and one of the most common things I see and hear is that children are prone to ear infections, they are on their third or fourth round of antibiotics and the next step is tubes. It is a vicious cycle that feels impossible to overcome…but what if I told you there was another option? Not another medication, not jumping to surgery, but that your child could overcome this cycle on their own with the right tools.
I’ll never claim that chiropractic care “cures” ear infections. In fact, chiropractic itself doesn’t cure anything. However the body is so smart that it can fight for itself as long as it is given the proper support…and that answer is through chiropractic care!
What is an Ear Infection?
The ear is made up of an inner ear, middle ear and an outer ear and there is a thin membrane that separates the middle and the outer parts of the ear. Sometimes when our bodies are working extra hard or we present with more inflammation, we produce more fluid that hangs out in the ears and eventually fills up middle ear. This is common when kids are sick, teething or stressed. While that fluid sits in the ears, the bad bacteria in their bodies recognize that the fluid is there and they make their way to the area, start inviting their friends and eventually create an infection.
In this case, you can already see that the problem didn’t start with the bacteria invading the ear, it began with the fluid getting stuck in the ear due to the increased inflammation or lack of open drain pipes for the fluid! So no matter how many rounds of antibiotics your child gets, it is only taking care of part of the problem and not the root cause! This is where chiropractic can step in and finish the job!
How does Chiropractic com into play?
Gentle adjustments allow the nerves to properly communicate with the drain pipes to remind them to open up and get the fluid out. If the muscles surrounding the ear canal are inflamed and tense, it prevents the fluid in the ear from draining. Adjustments are also great at helping our body reach a state of calm, which allows our immune system to function properly without all of the “background noise” and in turn helps our children fight the infection. Adjustments along with some light lymphatic drainage massages usually allow us to see improvement in the ear within 2-3 adjustments.
We always send our patients with ear infections home with a few home exercises to help promote fluid drainage as well as some recommended supplements to keep our kids comfortable and give their bodies a boost to overcome the stress of the ear infection!
Have more questions about ear infections and how chiropractic care can help? Give our office a call and we would be happy to chat about the best way to support you and your family through this phase!