Ear Infections (Otitis Media, OM)

Reoccurring ear infections account for over 35% of all pediatrician visits in the United States. Sometimes these infections are due to bacteria and sometimes these are due to a virus. The most common medical care for this situation has been antibiotics, even though antibiotics have no effect on viruses. The antibiotic may be effective in an acute bacterial infection; but it does nothing to stop repeat infections. It is also possible that repeated use of antibiotics may contribute to future infections by creating drug-resistant infections. Another conventional approach to repeated ear infection is the surgical implantation of a drain tube. These tubes often come out and usually require a child to be put under general anesthesia to do the surgery.

Several studies showing the effectiveness of chiropractic care for preventing re-occurring ear infections were reviewed in the October 1998 issue of the Ladies Home Journal in an article entitled, "Chiropractic Adjustments for Chronic Ear Infections." Chiropractic care is useful in preventing recurrent infections by correcting misalignments and allowing normal fluid drainage from the middle ear. What was more important was that 6 months after the chiropractic care was given to the children in the study, 80 percent had not suffered a recurrence of ear infections.

In the March 1998 edition of Alternative Therapies and authored by Fallon and Edelman reported a study involving 401 Children with Otitis Media. The authors found a strong correlation between chiropractic adjustment and the resolution of otitis media for the children in this study. 

If your child is between ear infections and his doctor suggests ear-tube surgery, ask if you can try chiropractic treatment first. 

Next Topic: Glaucoma