The common medical treatment for ear infections in to prescribe antibiotics to address the infection. The biggest problem with this approach is the overuse of these drugs and prescribing them in cases of viral infections as antibiotics are proven not to work on viral infections. Another common treatment is to implant tubes in the ear that will do the job the Eustachian tube is designed for. These tubes allow for fluid drainage into the outer ear. Chiropractors have long disagreed with both of these forms of treatment as neither addressed the issue of why the Eustachian tube is not doing the job it was designed to do. Couple that with the fact that the medical treatments used have unwanted side effects and the chiropractic approach to ear infections seems to make sense.

A skilled Doctor of Chiropractic will do an evaluation of the patient suffering from ear infections. During this examination special attention is paid to the alignment of the upper cervical (neck) spine. The nerves that exit the spinal column at this level supply nervous system control to the middle ear and Eustachian tube. When the nervous system control is functioning normally, the Eustachian tube stays open and fully functional draining the middle ear. However, when there is interruption to the nervous system caused by spinal misalignment of the upper cervical region, the middle ear starts to malfunction. When this spinal misalignment or subluxation occurs, often the Eustachian tube constricts and closes. This allows fluid to become stagnant and breeds infection behind the eardrum. This stagnation and infection builds pressure leading to the ear infection along with all the painful symptoms.

Antibiotic use at this stage only addresses the infection and only if it’s a bacterial infection. The underlying spinal subluxation and the Eustachian tube malfunction remain leaving the child a high risk for future ear infections. Chiropractic care for ear infections starts with a proper diagnosis of the cause of the ear infection, subluxation in most cases. Then chiropractic adjustments are safely administered over a short period of time to the upper part of the neck. These are specific and very low force in children. This chiropractic care realigns the upper neck, allows normal nerve supply to the middle ear and ultimately opens the Eustachian tube. This reduces the pressure and the body takes care of the infection itself via the immune system.

The chiropractic approach to ear infections also has no side effects save one, lower likelihood of future ear infections. If your child suffers with ear infections contact The Pain to Health Center in Naperville, IL and set up and appointment with one of our Naperville chiropractors. They will perform a specific chiropractic evaluation and show you how chiropractic care can help your child with his or her ear infections.