Ear problems can be excruciatingly painful, especially
in children. With 10 million new cases every year, ear
infections (otitis media) are the most common illness
affecting babies and young children and the number
one reason for visits to the pediatrician—accounting
for more than 35 percent of all pediatric visits.
Almost half of all children will have at least one middle
ear infection before they’re a year old, and two-thirds
of them will have had at least one such infection by
age 3. The symptoms can include ear pain, fever, and
irritability. Otitis media can be either bacterial or viral in
origin, and frequently results from another illness such
as a cold. For many children, it can become a chronic
problem, requiring treatment year after year, and putting
the child at risk of permanent hearing damage and
associated speech and developmental problems.
Standard treatment for most cases of otitis media is
with antibiotics, which can be effective if the culprit is
bacterial (antibiotics, of course, do nothing to fight off
viruses). But, according to many research studies,
antibiotics are often not much more effective than the
body’s own immune system. And repeated doses of
antibiotics can lead to drug-resistant bacteria that
scoff at the drugs, while leaving the child screaming in
pain.
Frequent ear infections are also the second most common
reason for surgery in children under 2 (with circumcision
being the first). In severe cases—for example,
when fluids from an ear infection haven’t cleared
from the ear after several months, and hearing is
affected—specialists sometimes prescribe myringotomy
and tympanostomy, more commonly known as “ear
tubes.” During the surgical procedure, a small opening
is made in the eardrum to place a tube inside. The
tube relieves pressure in the ear and prevents repeated
fluid buildup with the continuous venting of fresh air. In
most cases, the membrane pushes the tube out after a
couple of months and the hole in the eardrum closes.
Although the treatment is effective, it has to be repeated
in some 20 to 30 percent of cases. And this kind of
surgery requires general anesthesia, never a minor
thing in a small child. If the infection persists even after
tube placement and removal, children sometimes
undergo adenoidectomy (surgical removal of the adenoids)—
an option that is effective mostly through the
first year after surgery.
Before yet another round of “maybe-they’ll-work-andmaybe-
they-won’t” antibiotics or the drastic step of
surgery, more parents are considering chiropractic to
help children with chronic ear infections. Dr. Joan
Fallon, a chiropractor who practices in Yonkers, New
York, has published research showing that, after
receiving a series of chiropractic adjustments, nearly
80 percent of the children treated were free of ear
infections for at least the six-month period following
their initial visits (a period that also included maintenance
treatments every four to six weeks).
“Chiropractic mobilizes drainage of the ear in children
and if they can continue to drain without a buildup of
fluid and subsequent infection, they build up their own
antibodies and recover more quickly,” explains Dr.
Fallon. She’d like to see her pilot study used as a basis
for larger-scale trials of chiropractic as a therapeutic
modality for otitis media.
Dr. Fallon uses primarily upper-cervical manipulation on
children with otitis media, focusing particularly on the
occiput, or back of the skull, and atlas, or the first vertebra
in the neck. “Adjusting the occiput, in particular,
will get the middle ear to drain. Depending on how
chronic it’s been and on where they are in their cycle
of antibiotics, children generally need to get through
one bout of fluid and fight it off themselves.” That
means, for the average child, between six and eight
treatments.
If a child’s case is acute, Dr. Fallon will check the ear
every day, using a tympanogram to measure the ear
and track the movement of the eardrum to make sure
that it’s draining. “I’ll do adjustments every day or
every other day for a couple of days if they’re acute,
and then decrease frequency over time.”
Dr. Fallon, whose research garnered her the acclaim of
childrearing magazines like Parenting and Baby Talk,
often sees great success when she treats a child for
otitis media. “Once they fight it themselves, my kids
tend to do very well and stay away from ear infections
completely. Unless there are environmental factors like
smoking in the house, an abnormally shaped
Eustachian tube, or something like that, they do very
well,” she says.
“I have two large pediatric groups that refer to me on a
regular basis. In the winter, when otitis is most prevalent,
I see five or six new children each week from
each group,” says Dr. Fallon. “It’s safe and effective
and something that parents should try, certainly before
inserting tubes in their children’s ears.
Chiropractic Care Can Help
Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about your child’s
ear infections. Doctors of chiropractic are licensed and
trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages and
will use a gentler type of treatment for children. In
addition, doctors of chiropractic can also prescribe
exercises designed to help children develop strong
muscles, along with instruction in good nutrition, posture
and sleeping habits.
Chiropractic in Cyberspace
If you like to surf the Net, check out the American
Chiropractic Association’s Web site. Not only can you
find a doctor of chiropractic near you, but you can also
obtain additional information about preventing spinal
pain and injury, read important studies about the effectiveness
of chiropractic care, and learn about chiropractic
education and the history of the chiropractic
profession. Visit the American Chiropractic
