Chiropractic for Chronic Ear Infections
By Jane Sheppard
More and more parents are beginning to look to chiropractors to
complement their children’s health care. Chiropractic care involves
diagnosing spinal misalignments and correcting them by adjusting
the spine. A slight pressure is most commonly used with children
rather than the more forceful manipulation sometimes used with adults.
Chiropractors attempt to get to the root cause of a health problem
rather than just treat the symptoms. Misalignments of the spine
(also called subluxations) can occur during childbirth, from tumbles
or falls, or from any other normal activity. Misalignments left
untreated can irritate the nerves and eventually disrupt the body’s
ability to function properly. The purpose of a chiropractic adjustment
is to help to restore the normal functioning of the nervous system
so the body can heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery.
Ear Infections and Chiropractic
Ear pain is the number one reason for child visits to chiropractors.
Many chiropractors believe that there is a strong link between the
birthing process and recurrent ear infection, also known as otitis
media. During the birthing process, cervical (neck) vertebrae can
become misaligned, disrupting nerve function, which can affect the
eustachian tube. This may lead to fluid buildup in the middle ear
and cause otitis media.
Ear infection or otitis media accounts for over 35% of all pediatrician
visits in the United States. Antibiotics, the usual treatment, are
not always effective and may even lead to a recurrence of ear infections.
Many children are dealing with a continuing cycle of repeat ear
infections, which lands them back at the pediatrician for more antibiotics.
For nearly 100 years, the chiropractic profession has claimed that
ear and other upper respiratory infections respond favorably to
chiropractic adjustments.
A promising study published in the Journal
of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics indicates that there
is a strong correlation between chiropractic adjustments and the
resolution of ear infections. 332 children with chronic ear infections
participated in the study. Each child, ranging in age from 27 days
to 5 years, was given a series of chiropractic adjustments. The
results show that close to 80% of the children did not experience
another ear infection within the six-month period following their
initial visits. The six-month period included maintenance treatments
every four to six weeks. Joan M. Fallon, D.C., the author of the
study and the chiropractor who treated the children in the study,
states that this pilot study can serve as a starting point from
which the chiropractic profession can begin to examine its role
in the treatment of children with chronic ear infections. She asserts
that large-scale clinical trials need to be undertaken in the field.
Side Effects of Chiropractic
Even though this study is not definitive and more scientific research
needs to be done in this area, chiropractic treatment is a conservative,
drugless approach to consider trying if your child has a history
of chronic ear infections. Under normal circumstances, chiropractic
adjustments are painless and will not hurt your child. There are
no invasive procedures and chiropractors do not use drugs that can
have harmful side effects.
Serious side effects from spinal adjustments appear to be rare.
A recent article in Integrative
Medicine reported the low risk of serious complications from
neck and low back adjustments. According to the literature review,
the estimated risk for serious complications from neck adjustments
is 6.39 per 10 million adjustments. For low back adjustments, it
is 1 per 100 million adjustments.
Pediatric Chiropractic Care
The International
Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) provides ongoing pediatric
courses and seminars for chiropractors, plus an online searchable
directory of pediatric chiropractors. The Holistic
Pediatric Association also provides an online directory of pediatric
health professionals, including chiropractors.
Related Article: Ear
Infections: Alternative Solutions
Fallon JM. The Role of the Chiropractic Adjustment in the Care
and Treatment of 332 Children with Otitis Media. Journal
of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics. 1997; Volume 2, No.
2:167-183.
Coulter ID. Efficacy and Risks of Chiropractic Manipulation: What
Does the Evidence Suggest? Integrative
Medicine 1998;1:61-66.
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