Sore ears, fever, irritability, malaise---if your child is experiencing these symptoms, he is not alone. Ear infections, or otitis media, are the number one reason for pediatric visits each year, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The weaker immune systems and not fully shaped Eustachian tubes of children make them far more susceptible to the infections than adults. While the AAP does not have an official statement on chiropractic care for ear infections, the American Chiropractic Association argues that it is a highly effective modality---at any age.
AAP Statement
While American doctors have long turned to antibiotics---specifically the potent amoxicillin---as the initial course of treatment for ear infections, European doctors resort to antibiotics only if the infection does not clear on its own. In 2004, the AAP changed its policy, recommending a period of "watchful waiting." In other words, doctors may treat the pain of an ear infection with analgesics and eardrops and prescribe antibiotics only if the infection is still present two to three days after the initial diagnosis. Children under the age of six months, however, should be treated with antibiotics immediately.
ACA Statement
The ACA warns against routine treatment of ear infections with antibiotics for several reasons. Bacteria and virus can cause ear infection, but antibiotics only combat bacteria. Repeated exposure to antibiotics can breed drug resistant bacteria, allowing virus-caused ear infections to spread and wrecking the immune system in the process. The ACA boasts an 80 percent success rate with chiropractic treatments alone.
Chiropractic Care Defined
Chiropractors practice under the theory that subluxations, or misalignments, occur in the spine and prevent the musculoskeletal and nervous systems from optimal function. A subluxation could prevent the body from fighting an ear infection on its own. Chiropractors typically adjust the first vertebra in the neck and the back of the skull in cases of ear infection. If the patient is a child, the chiropractor uses an instrument called an activator, which is much more gentle than the twists and cracks typical of an adult adjustment.
Frequency of Treatment
In the throes of an ear infection, chiropractic patients are usually seen two to three times over a period of a week. Once the infection clears, chiropractors like to do maintenance treatments once every four to six weeks. In the ACA study that boasted an 80 percent success rate, patients who received this treatment were free of infection during "at least the six-month period following their initial visits."
Bottom Line
Research supports both the AAP and ACA viewpoints. Patients or their parents need to discuss their symptoms with their doctor or chiropractor and together make a decision about the best treatment plan for their particular cases.
