Does your child suffer from ear infections? In the U.S., over 80% of children experience an ear infection by the time they are three years old according to NIH. Even if they get just one, they can be painful and uncomfortable. Children tend to be more prone to ear infections due to the immature eustachian tube in the middle ear. In early childhood, the tube is shorter and more angled, allowing bacteria to enter the middle ear more easily. If your child suffers from chronic ear infections and you’re ready to try a non-drug alternative, chiropractic care could help.
Symptoms and Causes of Ear Infections in Children:
Ear infections are caused by bacteria or viruses that make their way into the middle ear. They can be painful due to increased inflammation and fluid buildup. Common causes can be colds, the flu, or even allergies.
In some cases, the symptoms can on rapidly and the most common symptoms include:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Diminished hearing
- Loss of balance
- Fever
- Headache
- Ear pain that can be worse when lying down
- Popping or ringing in the ears
How do you tell if your child has an ear infection? Here are some symptoms to look for:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Mood changes such as irritability
- Crying more than usual
- Tugging on or pulling at their ears
- Not responding to sounds well
- Fever over 100 ° F
While most ear infections can clear up on their own, there are things you can do to help if they don’t improve. Your primary care doctor may recommend antibiotics or other treatments depending on the infection, but chiropractic care is another solution. Chiropractic care can naturally treat earaches by adjusting the spine and nervous system to help strengthen the immune system and help your child manage pain better. How do we do that? We adjust the occiput (base of the skull) to take pressure off the trigeminal Nerve which innervates the Tensor Tympani muscle and that is the muscle that contracts to drain the eustachian tube so that it doesn’t get backed up with fluid and get infected.
At Dakota Chiropractic, we’re proud to be one of the best chiropractic clinics in Apple Valley, MN, providing pediatric chiropractic care for kids of all ages. We believe that chiropractic care can help kids stay healthy and strong. If you’d like to set up an appointment, please click here.
