Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Otitis Media - (Ear Infections)

A common infection that settles in the middle portion of the ear is called Otitis Media. Although adults can develop this particular ear infection, it is most commonly seen in infants and toddlers. The thing that makes this infection so unique is that both a virus and bacteria can be the cause. In addition, treatment is not the same across the board in that a person's age, exact symptoms, and an array of other factors would dictate the right type of care.
Infection Symptoms
The individual's age would determine the exact type of symptoms caused by this infection. As an example, chronic pain would be seen in adults while irritation and tugging on the ear are more common symptoms in smaller children. However, along with this, the following are symptoms commonly associated with Otitis Media in children.

• Low-grade fever
• Balance issues
• Trouble sleeping
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Diminished hearing
• Fluid draining from the infected ears

Although there are similar symptoms regardless of the type of ear infection, Otitis Media does present with a few unique symptoms. However, before the right treatment could be offered, a firm diagnosis would be required. During a medical examination, the ear would be checked for fluid, as well as inflammation. Because Otitis Media is an infection, antibiotics might be needed but not always.
Safe and Effective Treatments
As mentioned above, antibiotics are not always the first treatment option for Otitis Media. Recent medical studies show that in many cases, the body can heal itself in three to five days. Because of this, some medical doctors now recommend a patient wait this amount of time to see if the ear infection clears up on its own. If not, then antibiotics can be prescribed but only for infections caused by bacteria, not viruses.
During this period, an individual could take over-the-counter medication to reduce pain and inflammation such as ibuprofen, which comes in formulas for adults and children but no younger than age four. Then, based on a series of factors, other treatments would be considered.
However, chiropractic care should not be ruled out as a viable treatment for Otitis Media. Using children as an example, it is common for a child to get one ear infection by age two and then one or more by age three. Usually, the lymph system in the neck cannot drain properly due to a blockage or narrowing of the tube but in some instances, it is the Eustachian tube that does not drain properly.
With conventional medicine, small children are often put under general sedation to have tubes surgically inserted in the ears. For one thing, any time a small child is anesthetized there is risk but in addition, placement of the tubes is not guaranteed to work. It has been discovered that a highly trained chiropractor would possess the necessary skills and knowledge to use gentle spinal adjustments as a means of restoring normal function to the neck and its components. As a result, occurrences of Otitis Media are greatly reduced or eliminated altogether.
As far as treatments for small children, obviously the goal is to ensure safety while finding something that actually works, which is exactly what chiropractic care offers. Sometimes during the birth process or from falling down, a child's spine will experience subluxation, which means the spine is misaligned. As nerves and nerve roots become irritated, the entire body's ability to function normally becomes compromised. By using spinal adjustments to bring the spine back into normal alignment, the body heals.
More and more parents are turning away from conventional medicine to alternative treatments for ear infections and other health issues. While there are many great options, chiropractic care has a track record of being successful. Remember, both children and adults with Otitis Media can be treated by a chiropractor and in most cases, heal faster than with standard medicine.
In addition to being an effective treatment option, spinal adjustments used as part of chiropractic care for Otitis Media does not cause any discomfort or pain. However, another benefit is that no prescription medication is administered, which reduces or eliminates risks of side effects.

Dr. Rick Galla, Chiropractor. Are you searching for a natural solution for your child's ear infection? Have they become chronic? Medications and surgery still not solving the problem? Then your child needs to be checked by a chiropractor for spinal misalignments (subluxation) to find out of that is the cause of the problem. Or even better before they get an ear infection. Simple tests can be performed to find out if subluxation is the cause and then easy spinal adjusting can remove the subluxation, allowing the body to heal itself. I urge you to go to http://gallachiropractic.com or http://topencinitaschiropractor.com to find out more and get our internet special to make it easy to get started. I would love to be a part of your wellness team.

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