Otitis media (ear infection) is
the most common illness affecting young children and infants and it has become the
number one reason for pediatric office visits. Chronic ear infections are the
second most common reason for surgery in children under two years of age (behind
circumcision).
The typical treatment is a round
of antibiotics even though tests are rarely, if ever, done to determine whether
the infection is viral or bacterial as antibiotics do not kill viruses. If that
does not remedy the infection, another round of antibiotics is given and
another and another. Finally, there is the
recommendation for surgery (tubes in the ears). Surgery requires general
anesthesia which is never a minor issue when a small child is involved.
The antibiotic therapy comes with
its own trail of destruction. It destroys the good bacteria needed in the gut
to create a strong immune system, properly digest food, and synthesize
nutrients. Antibiotics also facilitate the genesis of drug-resistant super
bugs.
There are two questions inherent in this prologue.
1. How can we prevent ear infections in our children in the first
place?
2. How can we remedy ear infections without using speculative and
precarious drugs and surgery?
Fortunately, one answer will apply to both situations.
We must understand that bacteria are living organisms and as such can
only live in an environment that supports their existence. That is to say,
conditions must be just right for their growth. This is true for all living
organisms and is why polar bears live in Alaska but not in Florida, rattle
snakes live in Texas but not in Greenland, and palm trees grow in Arizona but
not in Canada. Life grows only in conditions that support it.
Dehydration, acidic pH (caused by eating too much pasteurized dairy,
sugar, processed carbs, and industrial
red meat), poor nerve stimulation, decreased blood flow, and nutritional
deficiencies are the culprits responsible for creating a hospitable environment
for bacterial infections (infections of any kind for that matter.) I have also
never seen a breast fed baby with an ear infection. All of the cases I have
worked on have had an element of baby formula associated with them.
For our tissues to support good
bacteria and health they need to be hydrated, alkaline (except for the skin and
stomach), and have proper blood flow to remove toxins, deliver oxygen,
vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. That’s not to say breast fed babies are
immune from other factors that can cause ear infections. It is but one piece of
the puzzle.
Perhaps the most misunderstood element to curing ear infections (and I
believe the most important) comes from the chiropractic adjustment. Misaligned
bones in the upper cervical spine can pull on connective tissue and cause the
Eustachian tube to become stretched, stressed, and/or pinched off thereby
obstructing proper drainage. There can also be nerve stress which will inhibit
normal physiology. Without nerve supply, we have paralysis. With stressed
nerves, we have what I call “half-paralysis” or dysfunction. Body parts cannot
work properly and be healthy if there is nerve stress involved. And know this;
the birth process is more than enough trauma for a child’s delicate cervical
spine to become misaligned.
Chiropractic adjustments for infants are far removed from the
traditional adult adjustment. They are more akin to pressure than the twisting
popping associated with an osseous adjustment. They are very safe indeed. Find
a chiropractor with experience in adjusting infants and children. You can do
this with a simple phone interview to the doctor’s office or you can go to www.icpa4kids.org and locate a pediatric
specialist in your area.
For further investigation on the relationship between chiropractic
adjustments and ear infections, I will refer you to www.chiro.org/research/ABSTRACTS/Otitis_Media.shtml
where you will find links to a dozen research articles justifying this therapy.
For more blogs on natural health please visit www.theearthismymedicine.blogspot.com
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