Ear infections are among the most common childhood illnesses, other than colds and toothaches.
Children between three months to three years are more prone to ear infections, which are also common up until they are eight years old.
Ear infections also occur in adults, but not as it frequently does in children.
Doctors often prescribe antibiotics, but are they really the only way to get rid of ear infections? Here’s everything you need to know about chiropractors and ear infections.
What Are Ear Infections?
Ear infections are more medically known as otitis media, the sudden infection of the middle ear or eardrum space. They can happen to anyone, even children. However, ear infections are the number one reason young children seek health care. Fortunately, they often resolve on their own.
Your health care provider can recommend medications to ease the pain and discomfort they cause. They may also prescribe some antibiotics if your ear infection is severe or persistent, especially for children under the age of two.
It’s important to visit your health care provider to check if your ear infection has cleared or if your child is experiencing ongoing pain. Persistent ear infections or fluid buildup behind the eardrum can cause hearing problems and other serious consequences.
Symptoms
You or your child may notice these symptoms if you have an ear infection:
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Earaches – These are the most common symptom of ear infections in adults and older children. Infants who are too young to talk might cry, rub or tug at their ears, experience difficulty sleeping, and fuss.
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Poor sleep – The pressure in the ears makes sleeping more difficult, resulting in poor sleep.
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Irritability – Persistent pain often makes people irritable.
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Fever – Ear infections can lead to fevers ranging from 100°F to 104°F; about half of the children with ear infections will experience fevers.
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Trouble hearing – The middle ear bones connect to the nerves that send electrical signals as sound to the brain. Fluid buildup behind the eardrums can affect the inner ear bones, slowing their signal transmission.
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Low appetite – This symptom is more noticeable in children, particularly during bottle feeding. The pressure in the middle ear changes as they swallow, causing more pain and making food less desirable.
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Drainage from the ear – Yellow, brown, or clear liquid may seep out of the ear, indicating a broken eardrum.
Visit a doctor or a chiropractor for ear infections if you notice any of these symptoms immediately.
Causes
Viruses and bacteria are the leading cause of ear infections, often occurring after a cold or a respiratory infection. The bacteria or viruses enter the middle ear through the Eustachian tube, which connects the back end of the throat and the middle ear. They may also swell due to the bacteria or viruses that go through them, causing fluid buildup in the middle ear.
Children have shorter Eustachian tubes with steeper slopes than adults, making ear infections worse for them. These characteristics make their ears more likely to clog and difficult to drain, trapping fluids that get infected and result in pain.
Risk Factors
Ear infections are more likely in patients who:
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Have a family history of ear infections
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Have chronic diseases
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Are between six months and two years old
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Have allergies
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Are Hispanic or Native American
Can A Chiropractor Help With Ear Infections?
Doing nothing is the best way to treat ear infections since they resolve themselves within a few days. Your child’s doctor might recommend antibiotics in some cases, but these medications may have side effects and should only be used when necessary.
Fortunately, routine chiropractic care for ear infections works. It’s non-addictive, non-invasive, and gentle in correcting misalignments and joint restrictions in the spine and other parts of the body. They help reduce inflammation and improve the function of the body, the nervous system, and affected joints.
How They Help
Most chiropractors for ear infections in toddlers are familiar with symptoms, and most ear infections can be managed holistically with chiropractic care.
After a thorough examination, a chiropractor for infant ear infections will develop a treatment plan and discuss it with the patient’s parents. They will also examine and adjust the spine and joints to correct misalignments or blockages to restore normal function to their nervous system.
By removing restrictions in the nervous system, chiropractic ear infection treatments drain fluid buildups, eliminate inflammation, and reduce the pressure contributing to the condition.
A chiropractor for ear infections in adults helps make the nervous system healthy and more capable of managing pain and the body more resilient and balanced to help it fight any future infection.
Treatments from a chiropractor for ear infections are popular with children, who will feel more at ease and healthier after a chiropractor removes any inflammation or blockages in their nervous system.
Why Visit a Chiropractor for Ear Infections?
Visiting a chiropractor for ear infections is the best option to choose because:
It’s pain-free.
Chiropractic care is safer than giving your child medications or having them undergo surgery. Chiropractors use the most gentle chiropractic techniques without popping, twisting, or cracking that may startle children.
It realigns the atlas bone.
Sometimes, ear infections are caused by a misaligned atlas bone, the topmost bone of the spine. The atlas bone can block the Eustachian tubes if it’s misaligned and cause fluid buildup that results in ear infections. Realigning the atlas bone will help prevent future ear infections.
It’s a long-term solution to ear infections.
Antibiotics won’t work if the cause of your child’s ear infection is viral or if it’s a chronic infection; they only solve the problem temporarily and mask the symptoms.
Chiropractic care aligns the spine better, reducing ear infections and improving body functions for better health.
Key Takeaway
Ear infections can happen to anyone, but children and toddlers experience them more due to their shorter Eustachian tubes. A chiropractor for ear infections in adults can help treat these infections without medications, making chiropractic care a better alternative for ear infection treatments.
Be healthier with Advanced Chiropractors Group.
If you or your child find your ear infections coming back, visit our partner chiropractors in Clearwater, FL. Aside from treating ear infections, their adjustments also improve your immune system and mobility, allowing you to accomplish all your goals in life. Contact us today, and we’ll connect them to you as soon as possible.
