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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