An ear infection occurs when a virus or a bacterium infects the middle ear. Your middle ear is the section of your ear behind the eardrum. Infections of the ear are usually painful due to inflammation and fluid build-up in the middle ear.
Ear infections may be acute or chronic. Acute ear infections are excruciating but do not last for long. On the other hand, chronic ear infections may either not clear up or may recur many times. Chronic infections to the ear cause permanent damage to the middle ear and the inner ear.
What causes an ear infection?
Your ear gets infected when one of your Eustachian tubes swells or gets blocked, resulting in the build-up of fluid in your middle ear. Eustachian tubes are tubes that connect your ear to the back of the throat.
Some factors that contribute to blockage of the eustachian tube include:
· Excess mucus
· Sinus infections
· Colds
· Allergies
· Smoking
· Air pressure changes
· Swollen or infected adenoids
Factors that constitute a risk for ear infections
Ear infections are prevalent in young children because of the narrow and short nature of their eustachian tubes. In addition, the incidence of ear infections is higher among bottle-fed infants compared to their breastfed counterparts.
Other factors that may increase a person’s risk of developing an ear infection include:
· Changes in altitude
· Pacifier use
· Recent ear infection or illness
· Exposing oneself to the smoke from a cigarette
· Changes in climate
How do you know that you’ve got an ear infection?
Common symptoms of ear infections include:
· Hearing loss
· Puss-like drainage from the ear
· A sensation of pressure inside the ear
· Young infants acting all fussy
These symptoms might be persistent or may come and go. Symptoms may occur in one ear or both ears. A double ear infection causes more pain than a single ear infection.
Symptoms of chronic infections may be less noticeable compared to symptoms of acute infections.
Children below six months of age with a fever or symptoms of an ear infection should see a doctor. Ensure that you seek medical attention if your child’s fever is higher than 102.0 F.
Can Foundational Correction help with the treatment of ear infections?
Foundational Correction using upper cervical chiropractic adjustments is standard among patients as a natural alternative to surgery and antibiotics to treat ear infections. They are natural and also non-invasive. Foundational Correction does not treat infections per se; instead, it fixes Foundational Shifts of the spine to restore the body’s normal function via enhancing the nerve system.
For example, a particular study examined 332 children suffering chronic ear infections. The studies showed that 80% of the children did not experience a recurrence within the 6-month timeline following their first visit. Better yet, Foundational Correction is gentle without any twisting, cracking, or popping of the neck.
The mechanism of Foundational Correction is based on the immense power of the nerve system on other body parts. For example, foundational Chiropractors adjust the atlas vertebra (the first bone of the neck). Adjustments of these parts can trigger a chain of reactions that will help ease the symptoms of ear infections.
The upper neck nerves influence muscle function around the Eustachian tube. By making specific yet gentle adjustments to the upper cervical region, the chiropractor can enhance the relaxation of the surrounding muscles, allowing natural drainage of the ears.
Foundational Correction utilizes upper cervical chiropractic care, which enables opening and drainage of the ear, impeding the build-up of fluid and infection in the ear.
How to prevent ear infections
You can reduce your risk of ear infection via the following practices:
· Washing your hands regularly
· Breastfeeding your infants
· Avoiding crowded places
· Avoiding second-hand smoke
References
Murphy DR, Gay CW. Manual therapy and ear pain: a report of four cases. J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2011;55(1):40–46.
Uthaikhup S, Sterling M, Jull G. Cervical musculoskeletal impairment is common in elders with headaches. Man Ther. 2009;14(6):636–41
Jull G, Amiri M, Bullock-Saxton J, Darnell R, Lander C. Cervical musculoskeletal impairment in frequent intermittent headache. Part 1: Subjects with single headaches. Cephalalgia. 2007;27(7):793–802.
