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- posted: Jul. 30, 2018
Many children suffer from ear infections every year. Ear infections account for more than 35 percent of all pediatric visits. Before even reaching one year of age, almost half of all children will have at least one middle ear infection and by the age of 3, that number increases to two-thirds! It is a child’s worst nightmare every time it happens—the pain and agony that they go through with every infection.
Many times as adults we forget what they are like, but if you have had one, you know what these children go through. Chiropractic can help minimize the suffering by making sure that your child’s spine is in alignment. Many times, an ear infection is caused by improper drainage, which could be a result of a subluxation, or misalignment, of vertebrae in the neck. By removing the subluxation, the body may be able to drain the fluids better. Also, by removing subluxations, you boost the communication between the brain and the rest of the body, which includes boosting the immune system to help fight off the infection faster. With this type of illness, there is a place for both traditional medicine and chiropractic, the two disciplines are not mutually exclusive and can work together to help your child feel better faster.
I get passionate when the topic of ear infections comes up, because it hits so close to home for me. My husband and I got married in 2005 and went to Florida for our honeymoon. We boarded a cruise line that went to the Bahamas. Our ship went down the east side of the state while a hurricane was moving into the gulf on the west side. By the time we got out into open waters, the waves were very rough and even the crew members were getting see sick. I came back to Indiana with my first ear infection. Over the next 18 months I had 12 ear infections and they were starting to talk about putting tubes in my ears as an adult. I knew that something must have changed, but I couldn't tell what. My other symptoms like headaches, fatigue and back pain kept getting worse, too. Finally, I found WellnessFirst Chiropractic. The girls convinced me to see the doctor and after x-rays, we knew exactly what happened...my vertebrae had shifted so far, they had completely cut off the drainage tube to my ear. After my first adjustment my ear drained and I've been ear infection free ever since, but now I can maintain my own state of health with regular chiropractic adjustments. Once my ear infections cleared, I could focus on my other symptoms like headaches and back pain and work with the chiropractor to relieve these, too. Make sure to include your chiropractor in your wellness and first-response plan for your children. - Stef Nelson