Otitis
Media (Middle Ear Infection)
Ear infections are affecting children in
epidemic numbers. By the age of three,
over two-thirds of all children have had
one or more episodes of otitis media or
middle ear infection. Does chiropractic
offer a drug free, less invasive
alternative?
Case Study
“An upset father brought his 9-year-old
son with chronic infections to my
office. Five years prior, tubes were put
in his ears. The child was scheduled for
another ear surgery and to have his
swollen tonsils and adenoids removed. He
had been on and off antibiotics for the
past six years. The boy stopped
complaining about his ears after the
first (chiropractic) adjustment. At a
six week evaluation there was no ear
effusion in either ear. Tonsils and
adenoids were normal size. The ENT
doctor cancelled surgery. After 5 months
this child has had no ear infections, no
sore throats, no colds, no flue and has
been on no medications.”
Antibiotics and
Surgery
The most common treatments prescribed
for ear infections in children are
antibiotics, oral decongestants and
tubes in the ears. The value of these
treatments is controversial.
In one double-blind study, 171 children
with acute otitis media were divided
into four groups. One group had surgery,
the second group had antibiotics, the
third group had surgery and antibiotics
while the fourth group received no
treatment at all. Recovery time was
about the same for all the children.
Another study showed that “88% of
patients with acute otitis media never
need antibiotics….In those treated with
antibiotics, risk of recurrence is
high…antibiotics does not imply
shortening of the disease.”
According to E.J. Cantekin, Professor of
Otolarynology, University of Pittsburgh
School of Medicine: “There is no
evidence that antibiotics are effective
in treating acute otitis media or
chronic otitis media with effusion
(fluid in the ear) and there is clear
evidence that antibiotics are harmful.”
There are numerous problems associated
with antibiotic usage including allergic
reactions, destruction of the gut’s
intestinal flora leading to yeast
proliferation and antibiotic resistance.
Ear infections have been reported to
recur more often in children given
antibiotics.
Tubes in the Ears (Tympanostomy)
Do tube operations work? In controlled
studies performed in Europe, children
with bilateral chronic ear infections
had a tube placed in one ear, with the
other serving as a control. The results
for both ears were just about the same:
“No benefit from the placement of tubes…
and actually created some complications
such as scarring and permanent
perforation…” Tubes in the ears have a
large recurrence of infection rate while
up to 25% of those with tubes have been
reported to suffer from some hearing
loss years later.
Dr. Mendelsohn on Ear
Infection
According to pediatrician Robert
Mendelsohn, “In the future, we doctors
may have to consider whether the entire
panoply of therapy for simple ear
infections (antibiotics, antihistamines,
insertion of tubes, tonsillectomy) does
not represent overkill for a condition
that, except in malnourished children,
is almost always self-limited.” (In
accordance with his philosophy of always
doing the most conservative thing first,
Dr. Mendelsohn would prescribe heated
olive oil, dropped into the ear canal,
and whiskey (by mouth) to alleviate the
pain and allow everyone, patient
included, to get some sleep while the
infection cleared up all by itself.
The Chiropractic
Approach
Chiropractic care is one of the best
things you can give a child suffering
from an ear infection. Restoring the
spine to its proper alignment through
chiropractic care should result in the
return of normal nerve supply…and
ultimately normal function. |
Research
In one study, 332 children (ages
27 days to 5-years-old)
suffering from recurrent bouts
of otitis media had been on
repeated doses of antibiotics.
They were finally given
chiropractic care. After spinal
adjustments the children healed
quickly, without antibiotics,
and experienced few repeat
infections.
In another study of 211 infants
examined 5 days after birth who
suffered from vomiting,
hyperactivity and sleeplessness,
chiropractic care frequently
resulted in the immediate
cessation of crying, muscular
relaxation wrote that an
unhealthy spine “causes many
clinical features from central
motor impairment to lower
resistance to
infections-especially ear, nose
and throat infections.”
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