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Welcome to the Seaside Blog
The place to find LOADS of info on health and wellness related topics for the whole family brought to you by our doctors and local guests.

​Ear Infections, Chiropractic and Your Child

12/5/2017

10 Comments

 
Lately, we have been getting SO many inquiries about ear infections! We’ve had parents calling the office asking about Chiropractic care for their children with chronic ear infections and in many of my online Mommy groups it’s also a hot topic. So, what’s up with all these kiddos and their ears?
First off, it’s very common and normal for children to have some fluid in their ears when they begin teething. This is due to the natural inflammatory process.  If the fluid pools and doesn’t drain properly, it can become infected. The eardrum AKA the tympanic membrane commonly becomes red during the teething process as well. This is also due to the inflammation caused by emerging teeth.   A red ear drum does not always mean an infection, sometimes it is just teething, other times it is a true bacterial infection.
Another important factor to consider is the Eustachian tube. In children, the tube is shorter and straighter, whereas adults have longer and more angled Eustachian tube. Thus, fluid drains much easier from an adult ear and is less likely to pool when there is sinus congestion.
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Now, imagine we have a teething child with fluid in their ears and that fluid isn’t draining well. The pressure from the fluid may be causing pain and making this child uncomfortable.
Have you ever thought about what controls the function of the Eustachian tube and it’s ability to drain? The answer is motion.  When we swallow, fluid is able to move through our tubes.  But, if muscles that aid in swallowing are functioning properly, swallowing doesn’t occur effectively.
And what controls muscle function? The nerves!

We all have a brain, brainstem and spinal cord. From the spinal cord, the nerves come out and go to every part of our body and control EVERY function. Our spine protects and encases our precious cord and as chiropractors, the spine is our window to see how our nerve system is functioning. When the brain sends a message to a body part, the body part gets the message and relays a signal back to the brain. However, there can be interference in our nerve system and this will inhibit it’s ability to function at its best. So, like in the game of telephone that we played as kids, the brain sends the message out and the body part gets it. However, what if it's garbled, or worse, the body part doesn’t get it at all!? When this type of breakdown in communication happens in the body, we may experience symptoms. A symptom is the body’s way of telling us that it is not functioning at it’s best.
Chiropractors use the spine to determine how the nerve system is functioning. Most often in children experiencing ear infections we find misalignments of the cranial bones and in the bones of the upper neck. These misalignments disrupt the body’s ability to properly drain fluid, causing it to pool and become infected. Once we can restore proper motion to these areas we tend to see ear infections clear up and rarely return.
When your child is teething, it’s a great time to bring them to a pediatric chiropractor to be checked and ensure that there are no misalignments which may hinder the body’s ability to drain excess fluid.
 
In addition to having your child checked and adjusted by a pediatric chiropractor there are a few things you can do at home to help prevent and heal from ear infections:
  • Garlic Mullein drops can be purchased at Whole Foods or a health food store. The drops work to help reduce inflammation which can help with any pain your child may be experiencing. They also serve to ward off any bacteria in the ear. They are a great thing to use when you know your child is teething or are worried their ears may be bothering them. To use put one drop in each ear before nap or bedtime.
  • Probiotics are a great way to strengthen and support your child’s immune system. They will help to keep them healthy and are especially important if your child has been on antibiotics as the beneficial bacteria needs to be replenished.
  • Massage can help fluid drain. Gently rub in circular motions behind your child’s ears and down their neck towards their sternum to encourage lymphatic drainage.
We find these to be very effective for many children. Let us know how they work for you and if we can further assist you in any way!
10 Comments
Ellie Davis link
11/7/2018 05:05:36 pm

I didn't know that chiropractors can use the spine to determine how the nerve system is functioning. My husband and I are wanting to take our daughter to see a chiropractor. I'll have to do some research and find the best children's chiropractor in my area.

Reply
Gerty Gift link
12/18/2018 09:51:05 am

Thank you for explaining the correlation between the alignment of your cranial bones and the bones in your neck as it pertains to the ears. I never would have thought that chiropractors could help with something like that. It is definitely something I want to try out to see how it might work for me.

Reply
top essay writing service link
1/14/2019 03:55:57 am

Our ears are really important to us. I mean, for us to function perfectly, we need our five senses. Hearing is one of the most essential of the five elements that we have. Being able to hear, means that you can observe and distinguish a lot of things. Hearing can help you communicate with others, while it can also help you in deducting slight changes in your environment. In my opinion, it would be really hard for someone to lose his hearing.

Reply
Richard Harris link
10/3/2019 01:51:55 am

What a fantastic post! This is full of useful information I can’t wait to dig deep and start utilizing the resources you have given me.

Reply
Antoinette link
6/17/2020 12:30:18 am

I was very happy when I read your post.
very good information…..

Reply
Cornerstone Chiropractic Clinic link
10/20/2020 12:36:37 am

This is a great content! Cant wait to read more of your blogs.

Reply
Chiro Acu Health link
10/22/2020 01:12:33 am

This is a great content. Very well said.

Reply
Zurek Chiropractic link
10/22/2020 09:27:53 pm

Thanks for the great blog. I cant wait to read more of your awesome work.

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family chiropractic link
10/29/2020 08:17:16 am

I was able to gain information from this article, thank you for taking a time to discuss this. It is worth to read.

Reply
Michael Adams link
6/7/2022 02:05:01 pm

If your child experiences recurrent ear infections, chiropractic can help by restoring normal drainage of the lymphatic vessels.

Reply



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