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Red
Bank New Jersey Ear Infection Treatment
Ear
Infections in Children
Otitis
Media (ear infection) is one of the most common childhood illnesses
that affect children most commonly between infancy and age 8. By
3 years of age, approximately two thirds of children have had at
least one episode of otitis media and one third have had three or
more episodes. This inflammation and effusion of the middle ear
has plagued young children and the health care community for years.
Conventional antibiotic therapy has decreased in effectiveness due
to the over prescription and over utilization by doctors. Although
ear infections can be traced to a bacterial origin, an even greater
amount is viral in nature, and is therefore unresponsive to antibiotics.
Identifying
an Ear Infection in a Child
In
most cases a fever is present at the onset or at some point during
the infection. The child may or may not have ear pain. A diagnosis
is made by a licensed physician using an otoscope. An Otoscope is
a medical devise used to look inside the ear. The otoscope can view
both the outer and middle ear.
Understanding an Ear Infection
The
key to understanding ear infections is to be familiar with the function
of the ear canal; this is where the problem occurs. When normal
function is present, fluid is allowed to drain away from the middle
ear into a system known as the lymphatic system. In abnormal function,
fluid is trapped and the middle ear initiates an inflammatory response.
As with any inflammatory response, pain is the initial symptom that
prompts awareness and concern. But in order for proper function
to be resumed to the middle ear, it is important to address the
possible structural faults of the ear canal.
The
eustachian tube (ear canal) in infants is nearly horizontal and
slowly acquires an angle of 45 degrees by the time the child reaches
seven years of age. As the child grows and the tube assumes a greater
angle, fluid drainage is easier and the tendency to get ear infections
later on in childhood begins to decrease. But like all tissue and
organ systems of the body, the ear and its inner structures are
under the direct influence of the nervous system, the brain and
spinal cord. As nerves descend from the intricate centers of the
brain, they travel into the spine and exit at various levels in
accordance with the structures they govern. The nerves that go to
the ear and the surrounding structures exit in the neck. As a result,
the bones in our neck that make up our spinal column may pinch these
nerves that go to vital organs. Chiropractic is concerned with realigning
the bones in our neck to allow nerves to function properly. These
misalignments are referred to as subluxations. Chiropractors specialize
in locating and removing subluxations to allow our bodies to function
optimally.
Treatment
of an Ear Infection at Monmouth Pain & Rehabilitation Center
At
Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation Center we treat a significant
amount of pediatric patients suffering with ear infections. We take
a holistic non-prescription medication approach to the health of
children suffering from various illnesses. Many ear infections resolve
in just a few visits with gentle chiropractic adjustments using
a massage-like technique called Cranial Technique as well as a biomechanical
technique called Clinical Biomechanics of Posture (CBP.) Used together,
our physicians have found a very high success rate in naturally
helping children with ear infections without the use of antibiotics.
If
you would like more information about ear infection treatment in
our Red Bank New Jersey facility or to schedule an appointment with
Monmouth Pain & Rehabilitation Center, please contact
us.
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