60% of infants have an ear infection before age 1
17% of infants have a second ear infection before age 1
There has been a 250% increase in ear infections from 1975 to 1990
Large daycares, exposure to cigarette smoke, formula fed and pacifier
beyond age 10 months increase the risk of ear infections
Medical treatment includes:
– Watchful waiting (2-3 days)
(the preferred treatment of the American Academy of Pediatrics)
– Antibiotics
– Tubes (surgery)
Reasons to avoid Antibiotics:
– Many cases are not bacterial
– Overuse leads to bacterial resistance
– Antibiotic use has serious side effects
– Only 1 child in 17 is actually effectively treated by antibiotics 1
Chronic Ear Infections with more than 3 months of effusion and more than 20 dB
of hearing loss are treated with surgically tubing the ears.
Reasons to avoid Tubes: (Myringotomy with Tympanostomy)
– Ineffective in children under 3 years of age with no improvement on
developmental outcomes 2
Rationale for Chiropractic Care:
– Fluid in the middle ear drains through the Eustachian tube
– The Eustachian tube diameter is controlled by the tensor veli palatini
muscle and gets nerve supply from the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal) and
the tenth cranial nerve (vagus)
– Superior cervical ganglion irritation may affect both of these nerves
resulting in a reduced Eustachian tube diameter or closure of the tube
– Closure of the Eustachian tube creates fluid build up in the middle ear
which can be painful WITHOUT infection being present
– Spinal and Cranial Adjustments relieve the ganglion irritation
– Ear Adjusting relieves fluid build up
– Most cases resolve in 10 days with fewer than 5 adjustments 3-8
Supplements for treating acute infections
• Immune support:
– Echinacea for bacterial infections
– Sambucus (elderberry) for viral infections
– Homeopathic immune tincture for babies
– probiotics and prebiotics (critical for children who have been on antibiotics)
• Mucus drainage: N-Acetyl Cysteine
• Foundational Nutrition: Multivitamin, vitamin C, essential fatty acids daily
Schedule a $19.95 consultation today (does
not include an examination or any necessary
x-rays)
Crosby Chiropractic & Acupuncture Centre
331 Jungermann Rd
St Peters, MO 63376
(636)928-5588
www.crosbychiropractic.com
1. Wickens, K., Crane, J., Beasley, R. Antibiotic use in early childhood and the development of asthma. Clinical and Experimental Allergy
1999:29 (6): 766-771
2. Paradise, JL, Feldman, HM, Campbell TF, et al. Effect of eary or delayed insertion of tympanostomy tubes for persistent otitis media on
developmental outcomes at age of three years. New England Journal of Medicine 2001: 344(16): 1179-1187
3. Mills, MV, Henley, CE, Barnes, LLB, Carreiro JE, Degenhardt, BF. The use of osteopathic manipulative treatments as adjuvant therapy in
children with recurrent acute otitis media. Archives of pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 2003: 157(9);861-866
4. Degenhardt BF, Kuchera ML. Osteopathic evaluation and manipulative treatment in reducing the morbidity of otitis media: a pilot study.
Journal American Osteopathic Assn 2006;106(6):327-334
5. Fallon JM. The role of the chiropractic adjustment in the care and treatment of 332 children with otitis media. Journal of Clinical
Chiropractic Pediatrics 1997; 2(2): 167-183
6. Froehle RM. Ear infection: A retrospective study examining improvement from chiropractic care and analyzing for influencing factors.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1996; 19(3): 169-17.
7. Fysh PN. Chronic recurrent otitis media: Case series of five patients with recommendations for case management. Journal of Clinical
Chiropractic Pediatrics 1996; 1: 66-78
8. Sawyer CE, Evans RL, Boline PD, Branson R, Spicer A. A feasibility study of chiropractic spinal manipulation versus sham spinal
manipulation for chronic otitis media with effusion in children. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1999; 22(5): 292-29
