Health First Research

Earache is the most common purpose for office visits to pediatricians. More than 70 percent of children will have had at least one earache by the age of three, and nearly one-third will have had three or more earache episodes. What you might not expect, however, is that earache is also the most general reason for children under the age of five years to be taken to the chiropractor’s office.

How Chiropractic Care Relates to Earache and Ear Infections

When a child who has an earache is determined to have a middle ear infection by the pediatrician, the standard treatment encompasses a course of antibiotics. New study, however, has ascertained that such practices are often misguided. Antibiotics are only effective against bacterial pathogens, and due to the fact that the child’s middle ear infection may be generated by a virus, antibiotics are ineffectual. This may account for a child’s chronic ear infections.

One of a variety of determinations that a Honolulu chiropractor can make is whether the earache or ear infection is produced by inflamation of the small nerves in the spine, called free nerve endings.

When these nerve endings are inflamed, an undue tension is produced in the small muscles of the neck. Pressure generated on the lymphatic drainage ducts as a consequence of muscle tension can prevent adequate drainage from inside the ear. This problem keeps the body from naturally rectifying the problem. In addition, balance can also be affected.

Inadequate drainage of lymphatic ducts can be identifed by a chiropractor if there is increased tension in the neck and paraspinal muscles on the side with the earache. In addition, the chiropractor will palpate to see which spinal vertebrae are either slightly out of alignment or not moving within their normal range. There are a number of reasons for such acondition as the result of the many bangs, jolts, and falls almost all children encounter growing up. Restoration of normal lymph drainage is most often accomplished with a short regimen of treatments that include spinal adjustments and manipulation of the neck muscles. If your child is suffering from an earache or an ear infection, call your Honolulu chiropractor as soon as possible.

Advanced Research and Guidelines

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), ear infection, the most widespread childhood disease after the common cold, accounts for nearly 30 million doctor visits every year. In addition, at least 6 million courses of antibiotics are causelessly prescribed for the problem.Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines for treating pediatric ear inflammation, and definitively recommended a period of “watchful waiting” since, in many cases, infections clear up on their own, without medication.

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) commends the AAP on the guidelines and emphasizes that chiropractic management is a “good first option” for treating ear infection conservatively. “Doctors of chiropractic have been treating children for decades with great success – helping them to avoid painful ear infections, antibiotic overuse and resistance, and ear tube surgery,” said ACA President Donald Krippendorf, DC. “Particularly when dealing with young children, drugs and surgery should be an absolute last resort.”

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Earache is the most prevalent purpose for office visits to pediatricians. By the age of three years, more than 70 percent of children will have had at least one incident of earache, and about a third will have had three or more episodes. What you might not expect, however, is that earache is also the most widespread occurrence for children under the age of five years to be escorted by parents to the chiropractor’s office.

How Chiropractic Care Relates to Earache and Ear Infections

When a child suffering from an earache is determined to have a middle ear infection by the pediatrician, the general treatment involves a course of antibiotics. Current study, however, has determined that this is often imprudent. The basis for the child’s middle ear infection may not be due to bacteria, and because antibiotics are only effective against bacterial pathogens, frequently there will be no positive reaction. This is because numerous cases of middle ear infection can be generated by a virus, and viruses do not respond to antibiotics. This may be the reason why children develop chronic ear infections.

One of the tasks of a Honolulu chiropractor is to establish if the body’s incapability of combatting the earache or ear infection is produced by inflamation of the small nerves in the spine (called free nerve endings).

When these nerve endings are inflamed, an abnormal tension is created in the small muscles of the neck. This muscle tension can put pressure on the lymphatic drainage ducts resulting in inadequate drainage from inside the ear, thereby keeping the body from its ability to naturally rectify the problem. In addition, balance can also be affected.

Inadequate drainage of lymphatic ducts can be discovered by a chiropractor if there is increased tension in the neck and paraspinal muscles on the side with the earache. The chiropractor also looks for spinal vertebrae that are either marginally out of alignment or are not moving within their normal range. There are a number of reasons for such aaffliction as the consequence of the many bangs, jolts, and falls most children undergo growing up. Restoration of normal lymph drainage is normally accomplished with a short regimen of treatments that include spinal adjustments of the neck muscles. If your child is suffering from an earache or an ear infection, contact your Honolulu chiropractor as soon as possible.

Advanced Research and Guidelines

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), ear infection, the most prevalent childhood sickness second only to the common cold, accounts for nearly 30 million doctor visits each year. Furthermore, at least 6 million courses of antibiotics are extraneously prescribed for the problem.Not too long ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines for treating pediatric ear inflammation, and expressly recommended a period of “watchful waiting” since, in many cases, infections clear up on their own, without medication.

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) applauds the AAP on the guidelines and reiterates that chiropractic care is a “good first option” for treating ear infection conservatively. “Doctors of chiropractic have been treating children for decades with great success – helping them to avoid painful ear infections, antibiotic overuse and resistance, and ear tube surgery,” said ACA President Donald Krippendorf, DC. “Particularly when dealing with young children, drugs and surgery should be an absolute last resort.”

Technorati Tags: children's earaches, chiropractic, chiropractor, ear infections, earache, earaches