80% of kiddos have had at least one ear infection before the age of three. Outside of wellness checks, ear infections are the most common reason for pediatrician visits. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends to watch and wait for at least three days before prescribing medications, ear infections are the #1 reason kids are prescribed antibiotics. Most diagnosed ear infections are actually viral, not bacterial, therefore antibiotics fall short when treating the problem. When a kiddo comes to our practice after being diagnosed, the first thing we ask is if their pediatrician did a culture before prescribing the antibiotics. 99% of the time the answer is NO. Use of antibiotics depletes both good and bad bacteria in our bodies, so the medical community should be aiming to reduce the use of these medications and reserve them for when they are absolutely necessary. It’s time to reframe the way we think about “the norm.” Ear infections may be common, but children with healthy, thriving, powerful immune systems should be recognized as normal.
There are a few different types of ear infections. Swimmers Ear (AKA the real “Summertime Sadness”) occurs after long days at the pool when water gets in and around the ear and isn’t able to dry properly. However, middle ear infections are the most common. These occur when fluid builds up inside the ear, behind the eardrum and in the eustachian tube. Middle ear infections are why we see kids having chronic infections, multiple rounds of antibiotics, and tubes placed. The problem is not the fluid itself. Fluid is oftentimes very helpful, it detoxes our systems and moves inflammation while carrying antibodies to an area that needs some help healing. The focus should be that it needs to be constantly moving, because once it becomes stagnant that's when bacterial and viral infections begin.
Pediatricians commonly blame “stagnant fluid” on normal anatomy. Kids have thinner, horizontal eustachian tubes which naturally elongate and angle as the child grows. Instead of focusing on the position of the tube itself, the focus should be shifted to the muscle around it: the tensor veli palatini. This muscle surrounds the eustachian tube, contracting and relaxing, helping the fluid flow. When there is stress on the nervous system, the muscle becomes tight and is unable to healthily pump and move the fluid, causing buildup and infection. In this case, antibiotics will do their best to clean out the fluid, but can not remove it. This is where we see a domino effect of chronic ear infections, multiple rounds of antibiotics, and eventually the push for tubes to be placed.
Tubes puncture a hole directly in the eardrum to release pressure and eject fluid out of the area. The problem with this is that fluid that is normally slowly drained to the tonsils and adenoids are now overwhelming the second line of defense. Because of this new burst of fluid being drained at once, children may start experiencing issues with breathing, frequent sore throats, and snoring. This new batch of chronic issues often leads to the recommendation of removing the tonsils and adenoids. After these two procedures, the fluid has nowhere to go but the lungs at a quicker than normal pace. Kids are now experiencing croup, bronchitis, pneumonia, and chronic asthma because of a quick band aid that turns into a long term problem. Chiropractic care rips off that band aid and tackles the root cause! We recognize that the tensor veil palatine could be stressed and closing down the eustachian tube. Chiropractic care pumps the brakes to allow that muscle to relax and restore proper function to allow slow, easy drainage into the throat and into the lungs.
Contributing factors to ear infections can start right at birth.
- Intense labor and delivery
- Torticollis and cranial shape
- Tightness
- Nursing issues and side preference
- Teething
- Lowered immune systems
All of these issues can be addressed with routine chiropractic care by getting to the root of the problem. We promote better drainage by aligning the vertebrae and cranial bones. Adjustments increase immune system function by turning on the parasympathetic side of the nervous system and allow for proper healing to take place, and decrease stress on the nervous system and around the palatine muscle.
As a parent of a child who has experienced multiple ear infections and rounds of antibiotics, you may be desperate for answers and new options. One of our practice members was brought in by his parents after having 8 diagnosed ear infections with 5 rounds of antibiotics in less than 2 years. The next step would be tubes, but his parents knew there had to be another route.
At Truly, we never guess, we scan the entire nervous system to see how it’s functioning as a whole before we create a care plan. This practice member’s first scan showed us that his top vertebrae (C1) had severe nerve disturbances, showing more inflammation around tonsil area and again at the lungs. Through his care plan, we were able to clear up his nervous system and allow it to heal and be in the parasympathetic development state and he has not had an infection since. He is communicating better because he can hear more clearly and tubes are no longer needed.
We want to encourage you to try something different. If your child is experiencing chronic ear infections, reach out with your questions. We would love to help your child experience life to the fullest degree.
