Ear Infections and Chiropractic
Ear infections account for over 35% of all pediatrician visits in the United States – approximately 30 million doctor visits a year. But is a visit to the pediatrician the best way to handle them?
Upper Cervical Chiropractic may be an alternative answer based on a recent study.
Misalignments of the upper cervical spine (also called subluxations) can occur early in life, during childbirth or from a fall or tumble. Misalignments undiscovered or left untreated can irritate or inflame the nerves and can affect the Eustachian tube, leading to fluid buildup in the middle ear. The purpose of an Advanced Orthogonal 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.
Antibiotics, the usual medical treatment, are not consistently effective and can often lead to a recurrence of ear infections. Studies show that there is a high recurrence rate among children who were solely treated with antibiotics like amoxicillin. According to the study, “the use of antibiotics early in an episode of acute otitis media may impair the natural immune response [of the body] and weaken the protection against further episodes, as has been suggested in studies of bacterial pharyngitis.” Antibiotic use in such cases may cause an “unfavorable shift” toward the growth of resistant bacteria, setting up a continuing cycle of repeated ear infections, which lands your child back at the pediatrician for more antibiotics. (Source 1)
A recent and promising study published in the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics indicated that there is a strong relationship between upper cervical chiropractic adjustments and the resolution of ear infections. 332 children with chronic ear infections participated in the study, ranging in age from 27 days old to 5 years. Each child was given a series of chiropractic adjustments and studied over a six month period. 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.
In a recent study by ICPA, it concludes that Chiropractic care is MORE effective and reduces symptoms faster than traditional allopathic care.
The Study
The Role of the Chiropractic Adjustment in the Care and Treatment of 332 Children with Otitis Media Fallon, JM. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics Vol 2, No. 2 1997 p.167-183. (Source 2)
From the abstract: This pilot study includ[ing] children from 27 days old to five-years-old, was on the effects of chiropractic adjustments on children with otitis media used tympanography as an objective measure.
Results: The average number of adjustments administered by types of otitis media were as follows: acute otitis media (127 children) 4 adjustments; chronic/serous otitis media (104 children) 5 adjustments; for mixed type of bilateral otitis media (10 children) 5.3 adjustments; where no otitis was initially detected (74 children) 5.88 adjustments. The number of days it took to normalize the otoscopic examination was for acute 6.67, chronic/serous 8.57 and mixed 8.3. The number of days it took to normalize the tympanographic examination was acute: 8.35, chronic/serous 10.18 and mixed 10.9 days. The overall recurrence rate over a six month period from initial presentation in the office was for acute 11.02%, chronic/serous 16.34%, for mixed 30% and for none present 17.56%
Conclusion: The results indicate that there is a strong correlation between the chiropractic adjustment and the resolution of otitis media for the children. Note: 311 of the 332 had a history of prior antibiotic use. 53.7% of the children had their first bout of otitis media between the ages of 6 months and 1 year and a total of 69.9% of the subjects in the study had their first bout of OM under a year of age. This is consistent with the findings of other studies.
Interested in learning more about Advanced Orthogonal Care?
Read more at https://www.pierceclinicstpete.com/procedure/
Source 1: https://jmm.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.45819-0
Source 2: http://icpa4kids.org/Chiropractic-Research/the-role-of-the-chiropractic-adjustment-in-the-care-and-treatment-of-332-children-with-otitis-media.html