Ear Infections and Chiropractic

This is a brief overview of an article written by Dr. Ari Cohn and compares antibiotics, surgery and chiropractic treatments for pediatric ear infections. Dr. Cohn references 22 studies in writing this paper.

According to the article, the treatment of ear infections with antibiotics is both common and mostly unnecessary. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and The Canadian Family Physician, a Canadian medical journal, stated that antibiotics, most commonly amoxicillin, are used in approximately 97.9% cases of ear infections and are actually needed in no more than 5-10% of the cases. (1,2). Additionally, according to the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal children taking antibiotics take longer to heal from infections and have more recurrences than children who have no intervention. (3) The overuse and misuse of antibiotics can lead to many problems including: weakening of the immune system, contributing to the increase in resistant strains of bacteria, and destruction of the natural microbial flora in the intestines (which normally aid in the digestion of food) (1,5,6,7,8)

If antibiotics do not help the infection, then often the surgical route of inserting tubes will be recommended. JAMA stated that tympanostomy (cutting the ear drum and insertion of a tube) has been shown to be unnecessary in 27-32% of the procedures performed. (9) Pediatric medical journals list the side effects of these surgical procedures to include cholesteatoma (overgrowth of skin in inner ear), persistent tympanic membrane perforation (lasting hole in ear drum), tympanosclerosis (scarring of the ear drum), and up to 25% of tympanostomy tube patients have hearing loss 7-10 years later. (10,11,12) Pediatric medical journals have also reported that 98% of children undergoing these surgical techniques have a recurrence of infections within 2 months. (13,14)

However, some parents choose to try chiropractic for their chidrens ear infections. Chiropractic adjustments are a safe and effective way to improve how the whole body functions and reacts to the environment. (15,16) The constant drainage of fluids in the middle ear by the eustachian tube is crucial for middle ear health. By normalizing the functioning of the Eustachian tube and the immune system, chiropractic care helps the body quickly clear up ear infections. (8,17) Constant draining of the eustachian tube is dependent upon the salpingopharyngeus and tensor veli palantini muscles which are controlled by the nervous system. In particular, the nerves of the upper neck. Chiropractic adjustments to that area can cause the relaxation of the muscles and the opening of the eustachian tube, therefore leading to proper drainage of the ear. (8,17) Studies have shown that chiropractic care is beneficial for children and that there is a strong correlation between chiropractic adjustments and the resolution of ear infections. (4,8,10,18)

Why would a child need chiropractic care?

Parents may wonder why their child would have disturbances in his or her nervous system and need chiropractic care. Spinal misalignment can be caused by the overload of physical, emotional and chemical stress (any environmental factor that causes the body to go out of equilibrium). (16) A child’s need for chiropractic care may be traceable as far back in life as birth. (19) Even during a normal birth there is an enormous amount physical stress put on the baby’s neck that may cause misalignment of spinal bones causing interference in the nervous system. (4,5,20,21) Chiropractic care causes people of any age to function at their highest genetic potential and for children this means developing to their highest potential. (22)

Chiropractic care gives your child a substantial advantage over any other child who is not receiving chiropractic care in all areas of life!

References:

1. Lehnert T. Acute otitis media in children: role of antibiotic therapy. Canadian Family Physician 1996.

2. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, July 1987, p 635-643.

3. Cantekin Ei, McGuire TW, Griffith TL: Antimircrobial therapy for otitis media with effusion (secretory

otitis media). JAMA 1991;2663309-3317.

4. Fallon J. The role of chiropractic adjustment in the car and treatment of 332 children with otitis media. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics 1997; 2(2):167-183.

5. Lamm L, Ginter L. Otitis media: A conservative chiropractic management protocol. Top Clin Chiro

1998;5(1):18-28.

6. Bluestone CD. Eustachian tube obstruction in the infant with cleft palate. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol

1071;80:1-30. Paradise JL, Bluestone CD, Felder H. The universality of otitis media in fifty infants with

cleft palate. Pediatrics 1969;44:35-42

7. Paradise JL, Bluestone CD, Felder H. The universality of otitis media in fifty infants with cleft palate.

Pediatrics 1969;44:35-42

8. Froehle R. Ear infection: A retrospective study examining improvement from chiropractic care and

analyzing for influencing factors. J Manip Physiol Ther 1996; 19(3):169-176.)

9. Kleinman LC, Kosecoff J, Dubois RW, Brook RH. The medical appropriateness of tympanostomy tubes

proposed for children younger than 16 years in the United States. JAMA 1994; 271:1250-1255.)

10. Sawyer C, Evans R, Boline P, Branson R, Spicer A. A feasibility study of chiropractic spinal manipulation versus sham spinal manipulation for chronic otitis media with effusion in children. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1999;22(5):292-298.

11. Kilby D, Richards SH, Hart G. Grommets and glue ears: two year results. J laryngol otol 1972;86:881-888.

12. Balkany TJ, Arnberg IK, Steenerson RL. Ventilation tube surgery and middle ear irrigation. Laryngoscope 1986;96:529-32.)

13. Van Cauwenberg P. The long term results of the treatment with transtympanic ventilation tubes in children with chronic secretory otitis media. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngnol 1979:109-116.

14. Mackeinnon KM. The sequel to myringotomy for exudative otitis media. J Laryngol Otol 1971; 85:773- 794.)

15. Cohn A. A review of the literature regarding stroke and chiropractic. JVSR 2001;4(3):42.

16. Kent C. Models of vertebral subluxation: a review. JVSR 1996;1(1):1-17.

17. Hendricks CL, Larkin-Their SM. Otitis media in young children . Chiro J Chiro Res Stud Invest 1989;

2:9-13.

18. Froehle RM. Ear infection: a retrospective study examining improvement from chiropractic care and

analyzing for influencing factors J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1996; 19:169-177.

19. Prax J. Upper cervical chiropractic care of the pediatric patient: A review of the literature Journal of

Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics 1999; 4:257-263.

20. Yochum T. Essentials of Skeletal Radiology. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1996; 197-210.

21. Lupin AJ. The relationship of the tensor tympani and tensor palati muscles. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol

1969; 792-796.

22. Pero R. Chiropractic research project, Wallenberg Laboratories, University of Lund, Lund Sweden,

February 22, 1989.