| What
causes ear infections?
Infection of the middle ear, or acute otitis media, is a common
symptom in childhood. In fact, it is the most common cause
of fever in the early years of live. This condition may be
very painful, and after several recurring infections, may
result in permanent damage. What can you do to help your child?
Review
of traditional treatment
Research shows that upper respiratory infections including
otitis media, may be caused by improper drainage of
the deep neck lymphatics along with improper nerve supply.
In these cases, a doctor looking in your child's ear will
see a buildup of fluid behind the tympanic membrane (ear drum),
with the inside of the ear appearing inflamed and the ear
drum bulging.
A popular medical method
of medical treatment of otitis media is prescription of oral
antibiotics, usually amoxicillin. According to the Journal
of the American Medical Association however, amoxicillin
is not an effective treatment for otitis media. In fact, after
administration of amoxicillin, occurrence of fluid in the
ear was two to six times greater. A second study revealed
that the use of antibiotics in the prevention of recurrent
acute otitis media (AOM) and in the treatment of otitis media
with effusion of fluid (OME) was limited, however, requiring
the treatment of nine children to show an improved outcome
in one. In 1997, the British Medical Journal reviewed the
use of antimicrobials for AOM and published, "We conclude
that existing research offers no compelling evidence that
children with AOM routinely given antimocrobials have a shorter
duration of symptoms, fewer recurrences, or better long term
outcomes than those who do not receive them." The authors
went on to warn that, "Antimicrobial use in children
with otitis media results in the emergence of resistant organisms
in those children and in the community. Development and spread
of multiple resistant pneumococci after treatment for otitis
media have been documented in day care centers and surrounding
communities, including instances that have led to deaths from
meningitis in children treated previously for uncomplicated
AOM."
A
different approach to childhood ear infections.
The most recent model suggests that reduced
drainage or blockage in the drainage system of the cervical
(neck) lymphatic chains causes a reduction in the lymphatic
outflow from the eustachian tube. This allows fluid to build
up in the middle ear, making it an inviting environment for
bacteria and viruses. Improper drainage of this fluid is caused
by a combination of events. Increased muscle tone or muscle
spasms, coupled with a child's already small drainage system,
appear to be the major factors.
Instead of treatment that
tried to kill the bacteria or virus, a more natural
approach would be to restore normal drainage of the ears and
neck lymphatics by storing homeostasis. This is the
chiropractic approach.
The
Chiropractic approach.
A retrospective study examining improvement from chiropractic
care of children with otitis media concluded that 93% of all
episodes improved, 75% in 10 days or fewer and 43% with only
one or two spinal adjustments. Another study reported that
with chiropractic adjustments it took 6.67 days to normalize
the otoscopic examination in AOM and 8.57 days to normalize
chronic/serious otitis media. The results indicated that there
was a strong correlation between the chiropractic adjustment
and the resolution of otitis media for children in the study.
The chiropractic approach has gained support from several
similar studies.
Doctors of chiropractic
focus on restoring homeostasis. Vertebrae (spinal bones) fit
together so that the LIFE (nerve supply) produced in your
brain may filter down your spinal core and out over your nerves.
This LIFE is responsible for growth, repair, and healing in
your entire body. When vertebrae are out of their natural
alignment, nerves become stretches or twisted (commonly referred
to as a nerve "pinch"), and this vital communication
network in the body is disrupted.
This neurological disturbance
is called a subluxation. The Doctor of Chiropractic specializes
in the detection and correction of subluxations. This is done
by laying hands on your back and gently lining up the vertebrae
in their natural position. This process may take weeks or
months, depending on the amount of misalignment. Communication
from the brain may then be restored throughout the body, and
healing can take place. As your body heals, the symptoms begin
to diminish.
Chiropractic spinal adjustments
correct subluxation, which returns the body to more normal
homeostasis. This procedure reduces or eliminates the tense
neck musculature responsible for blocking the normal drainage
of the fluid. As this obstruction to the lymphatic system
is removed, the excess fluid in the ears drains. The inviting
environment for bacteria and viruses to grow in is removed,
and the infection can heal. Once normal drainage is restored,
the recurrence of ear infections is diminished or nonexistent.
Information
reprinted with the permission of The Baby Adjusters (800)
824-3031
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