Traditional Medical or Chiropractic care for Otitis Media There are two types of otitis media. While Traditional medical care uses, antibiotics and, surgical tubes, Chiropractic care uses, no drugs or surgery, and is safe, gentle, and effective in less time to treat Otitis Media (inner ear infection. ) Traditional medical care starts with antibiotics, resulting in the surgical implantation of tubes. While Chiropractic treatment is a gentle adjustment of the cervical spine using neither drugs nor surgery, resulting in an effective care in less time.
Once the doctor or chiropractor has determined which type of otitis media the patient has a treatment can be started. Otitis Media is the result of inflammation developing in the middle ear in the cavity between the eardrum and inner ear. There is a Eustachian tube that links the pharynx to the middle ear, which is part of the middle ear; the tube is approximately 35mm long the Eustachian tube equalizes the pressure.
When the tube becomes inflamed, it can cause the tube to close resulting in fluid to become trapped. (Mersch, MD, October) There are two types of otitis media; “Serious-Otitis Media” is when fluid has built up inside the middle ear without infection present. When inflammation can get trapped in the middle ear cavity it happens because a bacterium from the back of the nose has traveled through the Eustachian tube. When this happens it causes an inner ear infection which is painful.
(Steward, MD, January ) Acute-Otitis Media” is when fluid has built up in the middle ear that has become infected because of the exposure to bacteria or a virus. Medical attention should be gotten to see if the condition has become a chronic condition. Once the inflammation gets trapped in the middle ear cavity bacteria causes’ pressure between the middle ear cavity which allows fluid and mucus to drain out of the middle ear cavity blocking the tubes.
If this condition does not clear up within three months this become a chronic condition needing surgical tubes. Traditional medical care for serious otitis media would start with antibiotics the problem with antibiotics treatment if the otitis media in the serious stage there is no bacteria or virus so the use of antibiotics does nothing to help the condition, the use of antibiotics may increase the spread of drug-resistant bacteria which makes future infections hard to treat.
Antibiotic treatment is normally a 6-10 day treatment with risks of recurrence and development of infection. Tubes are surgical inserted into the middle ear when the use of antibiotics has not stopped the chronic fluid buildup, and the condition becomes acute media, the tubes are left in for a period of six months eventually falling out. The risk includes bleeding and infection, hearing loss,” All children with middle ear infection or fluid have some degree of hearing loss.
The average hearing loss in ears with fluid is 24 decibels equivalent to wearing ear plugs, a permanent hole in eardrum, (American Academy of Otolaryngology, January 2011) ” A ruptured eardrum — or perforated tympanic membrane as it’s medically known — is a hole or tear in your eardrum, the thin drum-like tissue that separates your ear canal from your middle ear,” (American Academy of Otolaryngology, Nov. ) sclerosis, chronic drainage, and the tubes themselves cause infection with the possibility of multiple future surgeries.
Surgical treatment could last 6-12months with no complications. Spread of infection occurs through three routes, namely, direct extension, thrombophlebitis, and hematogenous dissemination. Extracranial complications are usually direct squeal of localized acute or chronic inflammation. (Easton, Marc) with this complication can last a lifetime Chiropractic care does not use drugs or surgery, and is safe, gentle and, is effective in less time.
The body is similar to a breaker box in your home, if one fuse flips off it affects several areas, when the vertebrae in the neck can become irritated. The irritation causes the neck muscles to tense or spasm, which restricts drainage from the ear and other additional problem. A 3-year old girl was treated for acute otitis media beginning when she was a year old when the suggestion for tubes to be inserted, her parents at the recommendation of friends, took the little girl to see a chiropractor. After examining the child the chiropractor tells her parents “The problem is a malfunction in the lymphatic drainage system caused by a subluxation in the child’s cervical spine. ” (Fysh D.C, January)
The treatment is called Endonasal Technique which is a gentle adjustment of the cervical spine with light neck massage which allows the fluid to drain to improve movement in the spine which will reduce nerve interferences, which involves the application of the right pressure, in the correct area in the correct direction. In many cases “serious otitis media” treatment can be as simple as a problem within the spine or surrounding areas, the chiropractor will be able to find the true cause and what treatment is best to treat the complete problem using one, two sometime three visits for, serious otitis media.
Typical treatment regimen for acute media is three treatments per week for one week, two treatments per week for one week, one treatment per week. Studies show that the first visit the condition shows improvement after the second or third visit the condition should show no reoccurrence. Although the two types of otitis media are serious, and acute, have been treated with traditional medical care, the risk of using antibiotics and surgical tubes is not the best care available.
Chiropractic care should be the first choice for two main reasons; first the middle ear is allowed to drain and eliminates pain. The second reason and most important, there is no use of antibiotics which can increase drug-resistant bacteria or surgery with the risk of hearing loss, and is safe, gentle, and effective in less time.
References American Academy of Otolaryngology (January 2011). Chronic Otitis Media and Hearing loss. Boston, MA: Fact Sheet. American Academy of Otolarynogology. (Nov. 16, 2010). Perforated eardrum.
Retrieved from http://www. entnet. org/HealthInformation/perforatedEardrum. cfm. Dynamic Chiropractic. (January 2011). Retrieved from http://www. dynamicchiropractic. com/mpacms/dc/article. php? id=38394 Easton, D. A. (March 2011).
Complications of Otitis media. Retrieved from http://health. shorehealth. org/patiented/articles/what_general_guidelines_treating_ear_infections_000078_8. htm Friedman, E. M. (2004). A Complete Guide to Understanding and Treating Your Child’s Ear Infections. Collingdale, PA: Diane publishing Co.Fysh D. C, P. (january 31,1992). The Miracle Cure.
Retrieved from http://www. dynamicchiropractic. com/mpacms/dc/article. php? id=43069 Mersch, MD, J. (October 4,2011). Eustachian Tube Problems. Retrieved from http://www. medicinenet. com/eustachian_tube_problems/article. htm Phillips, MD, D. S. (2008). Ear_Infection. Retrieved from http://www. medicinent. com/ear_infection/article. htm Steward, MD, D. L. (Jan 07, 2008). Serous Otitis Media. Retrieved from http://www. netwellness. org/healthtopics/ent/otitis. cfm.