Chiropractic Treatment of Ear Infections

Yes Chiropractors help immensely with ear infections, but the underlying cause of ear infections is a food sensitivity, most often dairy. Try cutting dairy out, and you will see improvements.

Hi M., Yes, I have a business associate, Dr. Ellen Blomerth, who has had great success with her patients in this regard. She was the first woman to hold the position of President of the MA. Chiropractic Association and was elected twice. I recommend that you call her for a referral to a fellow chiropracter in your area that she might know who is highly qualified in their area. Her phone number is: ###-###-#### - she is located in Peabody, MA. She would be happy to speak with you about this and make a recommendation to somebody appropriate in your area. Just mention that I (E. Taft) referred you to speak with her -- she absolutely will take the time to speak with you. Call today or Friday as she is not in the office on Thursdays. Be sure to ask for "Dr. Ellen" as her husband is also a chiropracter in the same office, and it is Dr. Ellen who specializes in the babies and children. I wish you the best. E. Taft

When the doctor recommended tubes for our son who was about 18 months at the time, we tried a chiropractor. He is now 3 1/2 and has only had 2 ear infections since then. It was actually very inexpensive for us only $15 a visit and our insurance did not cover it.It wouldn't hurt to try it first and if it doesn't work for her then you could do the tubes.

The chiropractor has "fixed" every ear infection our kids have had! Our daughter was like 6 or 8 months old when the doctor told me she had a really bad double ear infection. We went straight to the chiropractor and had her adjusted. When we were back in for a recheck a few days later the doc said, "that medicine must really be working! Her ears look all better already. Make sure to finish the medicine." I NEVER GAVE HER ANY! LOL.

And if you find a good one, you will NOT need to come back 3 times a week for an extended period of time. One adjustment USUALLY fixes my kids ear problem. Sometime two.

We usually take them to the chiropractor FIRST before the regular doc now. Colds, trouble sleeping, etc. At the first sign of a problem we get them adjusted and 99% of the time, they get better within 24 hours......

Hi M.,
My husband is a chiropractor. He treats children all the time for ear infections and has tremendous success! Our son has never had an inner ear infection and I believe it's from chiropractic care. Please consider finding an excellent chiropractor in your area, ask for recommendations from friends and feel comfortable that tried everything before having any surgical procedure done on your child. Chiropractic is safe and effective and a wonderful alternative in my opinion.
Please don't hesitate to ask me any further questions.
Good luck!
E.:-) ____@____.com

It wouldn't hurt to try. When my son was little (under 1) he had several ear infections (every time he was teething) and we tried the chiropractor as a friend of mine had great success with it. It didn't work for us. I understand the theory behind it and it seems reasonable to think it would help, so give it a shot. But if it doesn't work, don't be disappointed, I've also known lots of kids that got tubes and got along just fine. Antibiotics cleared the infection for my son every time, and now he's 4 and has outgrown ear infections. Good luck to you!!

My three year old recently got her second set of tubes--the first was right before her first birthday. I resisted the surgery the first time around and tried so many things to avoid the surgery (and course after course after course of antibiotics and shot in escalating doses). There was a month when I was only able to work two weeks because she was either puking from the ear infection or had diarrhea from the antibiotics.

Recently, when her second tube came out and she started getting fluid in her ears, I argued with the ENT about replacing her tubes. He wanted to wait. We waited...two weeks until she had another infection...right after a course of strong antibiotics.

I tried chiropractic while using antibiotics to hopefully help the drainage situation before the first surgery. It didn't work for us...but I believe that it is valid to try. It does take repeat treatments and it is intensive for the first few weeks. Ear infections in kids are in large part due to a short, horizontal Eustachian Tube. The ET is shorter and more horizontal and constricted in some kids leaving them more susceptible to ear infections.

Getting the tubes doesn't guarantee that there won't be an ear infection. The tubes a) prevent pressure from building up and making it painful and b) allow you to treat subsequent infections with ear drops instead of oral antibiotics. For us that meant less puking, less fever, and faster recovery.

My daughter was still 100% breastfed when she got her first ear infection around 7 months--so diet/allergies were not in play. That first ear infection basically lasted 5 months until she got her tubes. We would no sooner finish a course of antibiotics before she would be sick again. My pediatrician was starting to get suspicious because I got so good at recognizing early signs of an infection in my daughter. The first couple of times when she just had fluid, she wouldn't prescribe anything and we would be back in her office in three days when the fever and barfing started. After a couple of months she would write me a prescription that I could have filled when the fever did set in.

I STRONGLY agree that antibiotics have been/probably still are prescribed WAY too much. I've seen the new study results that indicate that antibiotics aren't always the way to go with ear infections. I agree...but it all depends on the severity. I tried to ride out the early ones without the drugs, but a 7-8 month old who is running a 103 temp and puking non-stop ends up in the hospital where she gets much stronger antibiotics--not to mention the lecture I got! Not an experience I was going to repeat.

One more bit of advice I always like to include about tubes. The nurses told me she would be "upset" when she was coming out from the anesthesia. UNDERSTATEMENT of the year...I had never seen my child so hysterical. I don't say it to scare you, but just that you can be prepared if your little one reacts the same. Also, if she has an active infection when she has the surgery, there may be blood and pus coming out of her ears...I wasn't so prepared for that either.

I had a chiropractor who was amazing. And I knew a few of his clients (small town) who had their children treated for ear infections. They worked wonders. I personally would go to him before dumping tons of antibiotics into my kid and putting them through surgery.

We did it with my daughter and it didn't help. She saw the chropractor about 6-8 (over the course of a few weeks). She got ear infection number 8 (in about 5 months) and even the chiropractor told us he would go for the tubes.
My daughter had her tubes put in at 10 months (about 10 months ago) and it truly was the best thing we could have done for her. She has had one minor infection since and is just a much happier kid.
Good luck!

Yes, chiropractic care works for many people. I would go for a gentle manipulation rather than the "pop and pray" method that includes a lot of sudden wrenching, hoping it works. Applied kinesiology is one method but there are others that are gentle as well. Another option is improving her nutrition by boosting the immune system. You want liquid nutrition (powder that mixes in water for example), NOT pills which are insufficiently absorbed and a waste of money. A complete nutrition program designed for children, like Reliv's NOW for Kids, will ward off the ear infections along with the colds and flu, give her DHA for brain development, and much more. It was developed by renowned food scientist Dr. Carl Hastings, who was on the team that developed ProSoBee infant formula (in use for 30 years or so) and a world expert in children's nutrition. You buy it from a trained distributor who will help you and who will connect you with other parents who have had similar results. I have many friends, including one friend whose father is an MD and whose kids had great results with ear infections. So many people want to talk to her that she has a recorded phone you can listen to. You can do this along with the chiropractic - neither interferes with the other. The chiropractic might get her adjusted after a few visits, and then you can maintain with the nutrition. Let me know if you want more help.

I have worked in chiropractic for 15 years and have seen numerous kids helped through acute and chronic ear infections! It helped my daughter get over her first and only one faster and they didn't seem to bother her as much right away afterward (first day on antibiotics). I've only known ONE kid out of at least 40 that ended up having to get tubes after trying chiropractic.

To the poster who disagrees, have YOU tried chiropractic for yourself or your family? If not I don't think it's necessary for you to be so negative about it. Myself, my kids, and the other families I know who get regular care are healthier than others I know who don't. Yes there are many people who don't go, because a) they don't know how great it is b) it's not affordable for them or not covered by insurance. If it was affordable and they tried it, you bet they would go..three times a week, whatever...for the rest of their lives! You will always have a spine, and that spine will always house your nervous system, which controls every function of your body. Why wouldn't you take care of it? It's like never seeing a dentist your whole life and being surprised when your teeth fall out. Or like never exercising and expecting to stay in shape!!

It IS important however to find a chiropractor you like, that is covered by your insurance, that works with kids, and that will work with your financial situation. My boss never pressures people to come in, but does remind them that often in the beginning is best to get over the hump before maintenance can be done. Especially in adults, you have to undo 20-30 years damage from falls, accidents, birth trauma, environmental stressors, etc. And at our office money is always worked out with monthly plans. It's more important to us that everyone get the care they need!

I do love my chiropractor - he did wonders for my migraines and my son, who had torticolis. My son also had severe ear infections, but even with adjustments, they didn't go away. Since his tube surgery (at 18months old), he has not had a single one.

I think some kids respond well to chiropractic treatment for ear infections, but other children, like my son who simply have eustachian tubes that are too small to drain the fluid, do need ear tubes.

I was 90% deaf in both ears before I finally got ear tubes at 3 years old. My son has started speaking much more clearly since the surgery.

Best of luck!

PLEASE see a chiropractor before you do anything.My daughters work for the largest pediatric chiropractic clinic in Georgia and we have see marvelous...and quick...results getting rid of ear infections. My oldest had the same problem and the doctor wanted to do the tubes. I saw a chiropractor and she never had another infection. If you google tubes and look at exactly what they do it will scare you. The scar tissue that is left behind and the hearing issues later in life are not something you want to give you child to deal with if you can avoid it. I even have an MD friend that has started recommending chiropractic as well (He doesn't understand it, lol, but he can't argue with the results.)

I recommend a principled upper cervical specialist if you have one in your area. If you can't find one go to ucspine.com and see if there is one locally for you to at least talk to. Most chiropractors give free consults and a lot have manageable payment plans as well.

God bless,

M.

In my opinion, I'm tired of hearing people to tell me that the Chiropractor cures all!!! The truth is, it's suggested all the time to me regarding many illnesses. Don't you think that if it works wonders, everyone would be seeking their own Chiropractor? I don't know more than a handful of people that go. It's very expensive and they'll explain that you HAVE to come 3 times a week for it to work. Bull!