Childhood ear infections (Otitis Media) can be very frightening to parents mostly because they often appear suddenly, usually at night, with little warning.
The most common treatments used for ear infections are antibiotics, decongestants, anti-pyretics (fever medication), and tympanostomy (tubes in the ears). As a parent, you may be surprised to learn that the benefits of all of these treatments are highly questionable.
For example, The Lancet, a major medical research journal found that recovery time was about the same for children whether medical intervention happened or nothing was done at all. Another study from the Archives of Otolaryngology, showed that 88 percent of children with Otitis Media never needed antibiotics and they did not shorten the lifespan of the disease. As a matter of fact, a very recent issue of Newsweek Magazine reported that antibiotics are not nearly as effective as the body's own immune system!
Millions of ear tube surgeries are performed in Canada and the U.S. each year and yet controlled clinical studies have determined that there is little to no benefit gained from the placement of these tubes. In addition, they often created more complications such as scar formation on the ear drum leading to hearing loss.
As a Chiropractor with a special interest in pediatrics, I see ear infections all the time. Often, the cause can be found in a misalignment of the top two vertebrae in the spine (also called a vertebral subluxation). This misalignment is commonly caused by the birth process itself! The extra pulling and twisting on the baby's head during delivery can be very traumatic on the upper spine. The stress of the average, uncomplicated delivery can cause a misalignment of the delicate segments of a baby's spine and deep muscle spasm, thereby affecting the way fluid drains from the ear canal. This fluid pools in the canal and stagnates over time and produces ear and other infections.
Many healthcare providers also agree with this concept: In their landmark study, medical researchers Drs. Gutman and Biedermann examined hundreds of newborn infants and concluded that... "an unhealthy spine at birth causes... lowered resistance to infection, especially ear, nose, and throat infection."
Chiropractors have been helping children with ear infections and other conditions for over a hundred years, with exceptional results. If your child is still suffering, maybe its time you tried a more natural approach? Maybe it's time to try chiropractic?
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