Ear Infections...Tubes or the Chiropractor

Hi N.-

I am also an SLP...hello fellow speechie!! I don't remember learning anything about chiro and their connection to ear infections. My daughter had tubes, they fell out, and she is going through infections again! FRUSTRATING!!
What I can tell you is my chiropractor has discussed this with me. She believes that is has really helped her kids with their ear infections. I really like her and trust her. She did wonders on my legs/hips when I was pregnant. I would recommend her to you. She is in Fountain Valley. Dr. Amy Friedman ###-###-#### (if you need a referral). I think it's worth a shot!

K.
www.SLPSinc.com

Absolutely on the chiropractor but also find out what causes the inflammation. The best (and not the skin pricking test) is to test for food and environmental allergies through a blood test called IgG. When you elimenate the foods that cause inflammation you are less likely to have congestion in the ears (and for some in the lungs - asthma).

Good luck:o)

My parents had the same issue with me 30 some odd years ago. They took me to the chiropractor and I haven't had an ear infection since! I continue to see the chiro about every 6 months, not for my ears, but just adjustments.

It is a lot less scary, non-invasive, and well worth a try!

Chiropractor doesn't sound right. Believe me when I say your neighbor friend is right on. My mother's husband has been going to the chiropractor for yrs and he came to the office one day in need of treatment. A terrible stench filled his nose. He looked over at a little boy with his ears draining. His mother told him that he had a similar situation as your son and she waited to long hence the massive amount of draining and the bad smell. I would definitely take him. You tried the ENT and still has the problems. You are afraid to put your child into another surgery. Here is your second opinion, although I am no way near close to being a Dr. but it works. Chiropractors are here to re align. So get his ear nose and throat align as well. In hopes!

Why not give the chiropractor a try before jumping into surgery again? It certainly can't hurt! The tubes have failed once... so what have you got to lose? I have several friends who have taken their kids to a chiropractor for this reason and they swear by it.

It can't hurt. I have known it helping and I myself was suffering from ear pain for 3 months, so bad I was taking 4 Advil every 3 hrs and could not even put a phone to my ear. I saw my chiropractor for an unrelated condition and told him about the pain- he said I do not know if I can help but let me try. After the first treament I felt better in 10 min- I went for 2 more treatments and it went completely away. I actually heard the pop in my ear. I am so glad I tried him. When I told the ENT DR the chiropractor fixed it(I was waiting to get into see her for 3 weeks)she did not believe me and told me to call her when the pain returned-it never has and it has been 3 yrs.
Try it-it will not hurt your son and it could help.

Hi N., My son had tubes put in when he was 15 months old also and they worked great for him. He had 9 infections before they were put in. I'm so glad that we did the surgery and I couldn't believe how fast it was. Now my sons tubes are now falling out and he is pulling at his ears. I was wondering if your son did that as well? My son is almost 28 months old so they have been in for about a year. We went to the ENT a few weeks ago and they told us they were out of his ear drum and that they were coming out, it seems as though they are taking forever to fall out though. I was wondering did it seem like it took forever for your sons to fall out too? Oh, when we went to the ENT he told us that Childrens ear canals are shape differently than ours are. I would look stuff up online about it and if your gut is telling you to do the surgery, I would listen to your gut. You are the mom and you know what is best for your children. It wouldn't hurt to try the chiropractor either and I do agree with a lot of the other responses that Ear infections can be caused by allergies ( my son has really bad allergies and asthma)so I would see if your son is allergic to anything cause that could be causing them too but like I said before, if your gut is telling you to do the surgery than listen to it! Good Luck and God Bless!

My son went through the same thing. Later on in life I discovered the connection of allergies and ear infections. Thinking back I am sure this was the case. Since his allergies weren't severe, It went undetected. Every time he drank cows milk, his cheeks would turn rosey. and around his mouth and his chin rosey and almost impercivable bumps or rash. That was all but I am 99% certain taking him off cows milk would have been a solution until his estation(spelling?) tubes lengthened and he outgrew the allergy. and since it was mild, there was a good chance that would have happened in a short time. Look out for auditory memory delays. Because of unclear hearing, my son developed great visual memory in compensation. We had to work on auditory memory by playing auditory games, listening and repeating lists. I' sure you know the drill. Good luck and blessings to you.

Hi N.,

I would address your son's diet first.

Does he drink/eat a lot of dairy?
How many rounds of antibiotics has he been on?
Do you supplement his diet with good probiotic?

Digestion accounts for 75% of total immune system support.

Hi Mama N.,
Give the chiropractor a shot. You have nothing to lose and it's good for everyone to get adjusted occasionally anyway. If the source of the problem is coming from a misalignment (which affects your body in a zillion little ways by branching to the rest of your body) than the results could be miraculous. The chiropractor would be fixing the SOURCE of the problem. That's what you need to figure out, what the SOURCE of the problem is. Could very well be that in the womb, or during birth, your baby was misaligned. I don't like the idea of the tube surgery because it's just treating the SYMPTOM. Meanwhile the problem still lurks. Your chiropractor should teach you all of this. Just make sure you find a good one. Some chiropractors go to more school than others. There's really two types of them and the less educated one still get to call themselves chiropractors. I believe that everyone should go to chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, and eat nutritiously and exercise for preventative medicine. I wish insurance companies would pay for these things more (some do). They'd save a ton of money on pills, having surgeries, etc... That's my two cents.

My daughter also had multiple ear infections as a toddler, with multiple cases of tonsilities. They finally recommended having her tonsils & adnoids removed and tubes put in. I didn't really want to do the tubes, but she was already having surgery and I didn't want to have to come back and do it again so I agreed. If she hadn't been having surgery already, I would have looked into other alternatives, and would try a chiropractor first. But the surgery and tubes work, she hasn't been sick since and it's been almost 4 years. If there is no danger in loss of hearing, and there's no pain, there's no harm in trying it.

Stop all DAIRY! The # one cause of ear infections.The doctors and teachers thought my son was autistic until we took him to a Chinese doctor. My son always had fluid in his ears. The fluid disappeared once dairy was removed from his diet. Almond milk (you can purchase at Trader Joes)is a great substitute for milk.
D. Merlin
mother/author
www.victoryoveradhd.com

I can tell you from personal experience to go with the chiropractor! My son was on the verge of getting tubes after having so many ear infections that as soon as he was off antibiotics, he'd get another one. We were VERY skeptical about chiropractic but gave it a try and he hasn't had another one since! Your son will get sick less and get better faster if he does get sick. Also, if you haven't already, switch to soy milk instead of regular milk as this will cut down on the ear infections as well.

Hi N.,
If your son has had this condition his whole life, I would definately look at it in a new way. I have been a Chiropractor for 23 years, and although I don't work with young children, I have seen the benefit of opening the upper neck with ear conditions. I would choose a Chiropractor with a speciality in Pediatrics. Please don't stop there. Homeopathy is very helpful-I can direct you to great Homeopaths if you are interested. You have to look at his diet. Take him off dairy immediately to test subclinical allergies. Then try wheat and corn.
Let me know if you want more information. Good luck, H.

I haven't read the responses you have received yet so I am sorry if I am repeating any other advice but I can relate to your problem in a big way. My youngest boy had chronic ear infections and our pediatrician would recommend the tubes as a very very last result. His pediatrician is Dr. Bob Sears so this advice comes from a very trustable and experienced doctor, infact his father, Dr. William Sears was my pediatrician when I was a baby/child and I had chronic ear infections and I was close to having tubes but he was not going to let that happen without trying everything else. I can't say I remember exactly what my mom did for me besides ear drops and heating pads and antibiotics and frequent visits to Dr. Bill. But for my son Dr. Bob recommended Garlic Ear Drops and at the first sign of an ear infection the garlic can ease the pain and fight the infection. As well as chiropractic care prior to anything as well as Echinacea drops (double dose as most Echinacea drops are low doses) and Vitamin C at 250 mg. Now if its already really bad they may just help the pain but will need further help like antibiotics on top of that. The theory behind chiropractic is sometimes there is some fluid locked in the ear canal and chiropractic can loosen that up and really really help take care of future problems. My son has not had an ear infection in about a year. When ever he says his ear hurts I immediately put the garlic drops in and usually only takes once. Dr. Sears sells his own garlic drops.
This section of their site should help you http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/T081600.asp it explains all the things you can do for ear infections and also mentions the chiropractic, Echinacea and vitamin C. I could not find the garlic drops on their online store, I purchased them from their office so maybe it is something just Dr. Bob offers? Not sure.
So after all that, I recommend trying the herbs, vitamins and chiropractic before tubes. :) Good luck! He will grow out of this :) Oh yea! one more thing. Dr. Bob said to try to take him off milk so he drinks Rice milk and no ear infection sense. My son had LOTS of problems with formulas and cows milk as a baby and couldn't drink Soy milk (it constipated him like something horrible) so thats why we use Rice milk and he likes it and his tummy likes it! Thank goodness.

N.,

I can only relay to you what we've experienced. My daughter (now 10) also had chronic ear infections when a toddler. I was sick of putting her on antibiotics and so went to see a homeopath. She never had another ear infection.

I think it's about the person you see. Whether it's a chiropractor or some kind of natural doctor, it is worth the
effort. I'm sure they must be willing to give you a free exam in order for you to feel out whether you like and trust the doctor or not.

They indicated at school (beginning of 4th grade) that her visual and memory processing disorder could be related to all the ear infections but I don't buy it. She was a different child before that.

Best of luck.
G.

Like you, I am a healthcare professional. In addition I am a holistic healthcare practitioner with many years experience and am trained in Cranial Sacral Therapy, an offshoot of Osteopathy. My son had chronic ear infections as an infant and toddler. My pediatrician told us tubes or see an Osteopath (D.O.). We chose to see an Osteopath who also was a homeopathic physician. As a result my son stayed out of tubes and rarely had a course of antibiotics. I recommend the providers at The Osteopathic Center for Children in San Diego. http://www.osteopathiccenter.org/ We also took my son off all milk products. He is 20 now, has perfect hearing and no residual problems. Osteopathy is very gentle, is subtle and works at a deeper level within the body than Chiropractic care. I have experienced both modalities for my self and my family. Both have value in the right settings as does allopathic medicine. Take care, C. L.

Hi N.,

I would definitely try the chiropractor. My husband and I both go to a chiropractor that has told me to bring my 2 1/2 year old daughter in for an adjustment if she starts to get ear infections again. Our chiropractor has a 2 1/2 year old daughter as well.

My daughter got her tubes put in just after she turned one because she had back to back to back ear infections that just wouldn't go away-it was like one long ear infection for almost 3 months. She was on 4 different antibiotics and did fine while she was on them but once she was done it was back within a few days. She has been fine ever since she got her tubes and they are still in place. I myself had to have tubes 2 different times when I was young and I'm 32 now.

The chiropractor is not going to do anything that would hurt physically or in the long run. It is definitly worth a shot before going through another surgery. I would do it but my daughter is doing good now. I do have a 5 month old that will definitely go if he follows in his sister's footsteps. In fact, he has already had his first adjustment after he was born.

I know that it is important and you don't want to compromise your sons hearing, but I highly doubt that any permanent damage would happen unless it you didn't do anything about it for a long period of time. It took 3 months before my daughter even got her tubes put in.

If you are interested I can give you the name and phone # of my chiropractor. She is really very nice and very informative. You can even make an appointment with her to just talk about it and she can assure you that it is completely safe. There are no tools involved, just her hands. She works in Santee, CA 92071.

Good Luck,
T. Schaeffer

I go to a chiropractor who told me if my kids ever got an ear infection he could help so they don't have to get tubes. I say you should try it first. Good luck on whatever you decide!

K. T

I was a chiropractic assistant for over 10 years and I saw amazing results with ear infections and children. There is a good chance that your childs cervicals are subluxated, meaning the neck bones are putting pressure on your childs nerves and resulting in an ear infection. Put some colloidal silver in your childs ear (natural antibiotic) and go talk to a chiropractor and find out if it is right for your child. Make an educated decision. My kids have been getting adjusted since they were 4 days old and they do awesome. I know lots of great chiropractors if you need a referrel. You are a good mommy for looking into this.

N.,
No fun - those ear infections. My daughter has been plagued with ear infections as well. After a good year of off and on antibiotics, and a suggested surgery, I opted to visit an acupunturist and a homeopathic doctor. The acupuncturist was able to diagnos certain allergies, and give an accupressure treatment. The homeopathic doctor gave a remedy, and so far, she seems to be doing better. Sleeping better, and in a better mood. We will visit the doc again next week for a re-check. I would recommend searching for an alternative for surgery, if possible.
Good luck!

my nephew had the tubes put in 3 times, he's 8 now and FINALLY got them taken out.

Hi N.!
As a family wellness chiropractor, you can guess what my vote is in favor of!! :)
Go to www.icpa4kids.org and find a qualified pediatric chiropractor in your area. There is a spot on the webpage to click on to do the search. There is also tons on information and research on the site too.

Blessings in health!
C. Tanaka, DC
www.naturallifechiro.com

I'd give the Chiro a chance before another surgery. I worked for a Chiro for about 5 years when I was in college, and I was amazed at the ailments he was able to help with. He eliminated the need for surgery many times. The way I look at it, what's the worst that could happen? If it doesn't work, do the surgery, but if it does, it is so much better for your son to go the natural route. Just make sure you get a good referral to a Chiro. I think they are wonderful, but there are some "not-so-great" ones out there. Good luck!
M.

If you're open minded, I'd really suggest taking your little boy to the chiropractor. I have a chiropractor that has specialized in little babies and even adjusted her own 2 children when they were only 2 or 3 hours old. I, personally, have not needed to use her for ear infections, but she has other patients that have and has created amazing results for them.
We had our little girl adjusted when she was 3 1/2 mos. old because she became quite fussy out of the blue and we checked for EVERYTHING with my pediatrician. We took her in by the suggestion of a friend and thought we'd have nothing to lose. The doctor found some out of alignments and delicately adjusted her atlas and her lower lumbar and a couple days later, her fussines was over.
I say, "go for it". Just be sure to find a chiropractor that specializes in infants, they require a quite different treatment than you or I (they don't crack 'em).

Hi N.,

I have three kids, 2, 3 and almost 7. They have all seen a chiropracter regularly their entire lives, and none of them have ever had an ear infection. I'm a believer. Sometimes a very gentle adjustment to the cranium can make a world of difference. Be sure to see a chiropracter who is certified in pediatric chiropractic. They are very gentle and very effective. If you'd like a referral in the hollywood area, please let me know. Good luck! After all, what can it hurt to try? It's non-invasive and gentle. You can always go to the ENT if it doesn't work.

J.

Hello, my son was in a similar situation only his reason for needing tubes was due to a hearing impedment. He has fluid in his canal that was not draining properly and was on antibiotics constantly. Upon recommendation from a close friend we took him to Dr. Eileen Kenny in Pasadena (chiropractor/homeopath)and she tested him for food allergies once we cut out what she recommeded we saw huge improvements she said she had great success with children who were dealing with ear infections; however, since my son had the hearing issue to deal with we had to have a second round of surgery including removing his adenoids. He is doing wonderful now but I would highly suggest you give the chiropractor a try. Good luck.

N.-

I might talk to the ENT about the chiropractor. I always feel that second only to my gut are the medical professionals.

Hi N.. We have a 6 yr old son who we noticed was having some trouble hearing. Although he has only had maybe 3 ear infections in his life, the ENT brought to our attention there was fluid trapped in his ears & he would need tubes. My husband asked & I quote "Is there anything we can do to avoid having tubes placed in his ears?" ... answer "No". That was in April.

My husband sees a chiropractor regularly & both he & his chiropractor are into Natural medicine. Felipe (my husband) told him about our son’s diagnosis & his chiropractor said to bring him in at least once a week for at least a month or two. I was VERY skeptical (to say the least), but with both of us wanting to avoid surgery for our son at all costs, we decided to give it a try.

Yesterday we took Felipe Jr. for his check up & he not only passed the hearing test with flying colors, but when they looked in his ears said “all is WELL”! The Dr. said “well it’s a good thing you guys decided to hold off on the surgery.” To think we, I mean I almost agreed to put my son through a surgery without trying something else that may help, because I was a skeptic. I had been telling my husband “the ENT is a specialist & they wouldn’t tell us he needs tubes if he doesn’t.” I am so glad I listened & tried something that I thought was a shot in the dark. Our son is well now without having tubes put in! We say give it a try you have got nothing to loose & all to gain! Good Luck!

Chiropractic is the way to go. They are not just "back doctors", but primary care physicians. They'll thoroughly check his ears and also anything that is associated with them (the adjustment is to change the pressure on either side of the ear drum so the Doctor is not adjusting the tiny ear bones) including the neck and spine. Your attitude of getting your child to be the healthiest he can will affect his attitude in the Chiropractor's office. He'll trust you as you trust the Doctor who is working in the best interests of your little one :)

Hi N.. My name is E. and am a mother of 2 toddler girls (3 yrs and 17 months). The older one had her first ear infection at 12 months. She has had at least 2 other incidents after that. As soon as she complained of her ear, my husband, who is a great Chiropractor, would sit her down and "adjust" her neck. I would then follow it up with a couple of drops of garlic oil in her bad ear. You can get this oil at Whole Foods. It works every time. No antibiotic, no medical doctors, no intervention but the natural way. He treats babies and toddlers and kids, as well as adults, in his clinic for anything and everything, including ear infections. I would personally attest to the healing powers of a qualified Chiropractor. I wasn't a believer before, but I am now. I've seen the "miracles" firsthand. My advice to you is to try this route first. It will not hurt. If after you've tried this route, you still don't believe in it, then it's okay. At least, you've tried it. But, from my personal experience, Chiropractors (especially my husband) is the way to go. I've never had to go the medical route since. If you want advise before you go see one, you can call him at ###-###-####. His name is Dr.Mike Pangelinan at Universal City Wellness/Medical Group and he will give you free advise over the phone, regardless. Good luck! I'm sure you'll find a better way than surgery. Surgery only makes things worse. It should be the last resort because it only treats the symptoms (like taking Tylenol/Advil for pain) instead of the root cause. If only symptoms are treated, the problem will come back because what is causing it is still there. Anyway, I digress. Give it a shot. Again, good luck!

Hi N.,

I strongly recommend that you listen to your friend who's pleading with you to take your son to the chiropractor for his ear infections. I assist a chiropractor in Seal Beach and have been working with him for the past 8 years and I can tell you that I have seen many children come into our clinic who have suffered from chronic ear infections. Some of those children have also had tubes put in their ears with no lasting results, like yours. However, after receiving regular chiropractic adjustments, those same children have had tremendous results, and here's the best part...nothing was put into them and nothing was taken out of them. The chiropractic care has allowed their own bodies to heal themselves.

I am a strong advocate for chiropractic and have been taking my own child for regular care and maintenance since she was 6 days old. She is a very vibrant, healthy girl and now, at age 5 1/2, I am happy to say that she has NEVER had an ear infection. As a matter of fact, she's never had anything stronger than the common cold, no more than once per year, and usually recovers from it within a couple of days.

I hope you'll consider taking your son to a chiropractor and I know a terrific one. His name is Dr. Dave Vigil in Seal Beach. He's been in practice for 25 years and has successfully treated many children. I wouldn't be taking my own child to him if I thought it wasn't good for her. Call us at ###-###-#### and we'll set you up for a consultation at no charge. Tell the office that I sent you. Hope to hear from you. Also, feel free to e-mail me back if you have any questions.

Your in health,

C. Spinosa

N.,
In your training and schooling you were probably taught that the body runs because the brain sends signals through the nerves to all the parts of the body so they run correctly. Chiropractic believes that if all those connections are running properly then the body can cure itself and doesn't "need to be cured".
Whether you follow the path of tubes or not a Chiropractor can make sure your sons body is running 100% by making sure all the signals get through to the parts of the body that need to heal. It takes repetitive visits because we all do things every day the "injure" ourselves. Think of how many times your son runs into things or crashes in a day. Each crash can weaken the body a little and at the end of a week or month that can add up to a lot.
Chiropractic can't hurt and will give your son the best chance whether he has the tubes or not.

What do you have to loose?! Try the chiropractor. Of course you didn't learn the advatages of chiropractic in school, most people don't. Instead of another procedure with an EENT give chiropractic a try. It is so much more natural and healthy, no surgeries or drugs(: Of course I am a biased chiropractor with two beautiful healthy girls. My youngest suffered through 1 ear infection and my oldest none. They have been adjusted their whole lives and are the healthiest kids, so just give it a try.

did u post this on peachhead? anyway you should look into "serrapeptase" google it..it's natural and it will stop the ear infections..it goes after liquid in the ears..and lungs..doesn't work over night but it will help unless your son has bleeding issues then i wouldn't recommend it b/c it is a blood thinner.

Hi N.,

I think it would be very wise for you to take your child to see a chiropractor. My daughter was having a lot of problems when she was about 9 yrs old. She kept losing her balance and was out of school for 2 1/2 months off and on. More out then in school. Thank the Lord she was a smart young lady. I ended up taking her to get her eyes tested and she ended up with glasses. That seem to help some what. One day I was talking to my good friend that is a chiropractor and he told me I should bring her in and he would she what he could do for her.
Let me tell you one thing N. I learned so much from him in 1 week and he did wonders for my daughter. With in 2 weeks she no longer was wearing glasses and was my little girls again with no problems. N. there is so much a chiropractor can heal that a doctor can't it's not funny. Please give them a chance before you have to put your baby though surgery. I had 3 more children after that and I took every one of them to him to make sure all was good. Please I ask of you to go and see one. In fact all 4 of them and myself see one once a month to make sure all is well. Doctor's don't like chiropractor but I will tell you one thing, more go to them then what we know.
Good luck to you and may God be with you.
Sincerely,
Jan
P.S. I am a mother of 4 children and at this time I am 54 yrs old and my children are all grown. I now have two beautiful granddaughter age of both 1 yrs. old. My daughters call me all the time with questions because they know I did so well with them.

I would DEFINITELY give the chiropractor a shot. Many, many moms find this a very effective solution.

In addition, oils of mullein and garlic applied in the affected ears can be very helpful.

A.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A. Salazar-Dunbar, Master Herbalist
Herbal/Nutritional Consultations in San Diego
Classes available locally or online and FREE Newsletter!
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Hi N.,
Sometimes Chiro's can work wonders. I was very anti-chiro (thought they were quacks) before Dr. Piranio (if you are in San Diego area-he has a 2 1/2 yr old and a 6 month old too). They can do a lot for many ailments all the way up to some types of seizures. He is an MD too. Amazing!

On another note, you may or may not be open to it because it is not mainstream here in the states, though very common in Europe and other countries, but I have recently discovered Homeopathy and it works fantastically. My insurance even covers most of it because my Dr. is also an MD. The key is to get a practioner that really knows what they are doing. Here in San Diego is Dr. Dooley. He is out of town and the country a lot to do work in Mexico and other places, but he is always available via telephone and email and very helpful, always taking time for you, even when not in the office. He has a book called "Beyond Flat Earth Medicine..." that is a fast read and explains the basics of how it works. It is available on Amazon for $11 or perhaps your nearest library has it too.

Anyway, if the Chiro doesn't work out and you decide to try the Homeopathy (I can provide phone #'s if you like). Sorry for the legnthy email, but we had to put our daughter under at 10 monthes for a similar procedure and we were soooooo scared too. She is ok, but I want to avoid anything like that if possible in the future.

Best of luck to you!
U.

N.,

What harm is there in trying the chiropractor? It is non-invasive and totally harmless. If it doesn't work, you can always go the ENT route. I'm always all for trying the non-invasive stuff first.

For the record, there are lots of things they don't teach in school but that doesn't make them just as real as what you saw in your books. We tend to like to "medical-ize" things but sometimes natural cures are just as effective and a heck of a lot less invasive.

Good luck!

:-)T.

My daughter just turned 3 and had tubes put in both ears at 21 months. She like your son, has had multiple ear infections leading up to the tubes. The tubes have been a blessing. Before the tubes, my husband and I were referred to a chiropractor in Santa Barbara by a friend who's daughter also had ear infections. We saw here for three sessions. She worked some magic on her back and inside her mouth by her ear - the thought was that she would "pop" the ear fluid out. It worked for a month, than the infections came back.
My thoughts are that it does not hurt to try. From experience, the tubes are the way to go.
Let me know if you need anymore help!
C.

My duaghter had so many ear infections, too. After a few rounds of antibiotics, our PEDIATRICIAN recommended olive oil steeped with garlic, and it works! I recall that my grandmother used to put olive oil in my ears, and many of my friends families did the same. You son will smell like a pizza for a few days but that's certainly better than antibiotics! Just crush some garlic and let it sit in a few teaspoons of olive oil. Then use a dropper to use only the oil in the ear. One drop each is fine - a little goes a long way. My daughter is 2 3/4 and it's been months since her last infection. Good luck!

You have to go with your gut feeling on this, not to mention your training. Your friend might mean well, but in the long run, the health AND hearing of your son is at stake. I have been in a similar situation. Had to place a second set of tubes in my son's ears. He has done well with them and is almost 4 and has not had further ear infections. If I would not have placed them, his hearing and speech would have suffered further delays. You know all this because of your background. Good luck in your situation.

My daughter was helped tremendously by a chiropractor who also does homeopathy. She had chronic ear infections treated by the pediatrician with antibiotics. Then she began to have horrible headaches. We found a chiropractor to do some adjusting to relieve her headaches. He explained that the "bugs" killed by antibiotics begin to grow back and set up nests--in her case on the base of her neck--which caused the headaches. We started using his homeopathy and it ended the ear infections. She has not been on antibiotics for 4 or 5 years. No more ear problems. I started on the homeopathy and got over a hoarseness that had been bothering me for a couple of years -- now my voice is as strong as ever.

I learned from my former (only due to relocation) chiropractor that the first chiropractic patient was in fact a deaf person whom, after receiving that first ever treatment, became a hearing person. I myself have been completely relieved of my somewhat severe pollen and cat allergies through the wonders of chiropractic adjustment. I wasn't even trying to get rid of the allergies, it was just a super bonus gained in taking care of some back problems. I am now a huge believer in the cures found through chiropractic practices. Our nervous system has way more to do with overall health than we give it credit. Give it a try!

Hi N.,

Coming from a wife of a Chiropractor and a mommy of four children, I can absolutely say try the Chiropractor before allowing an MD to do surgery and put things in to the body that were not meant to be there and are only a temporary fix. My children are 9, 7, 5 and 2 and we have NEVER had one ear infection in any of them. As a matter of fact, they have NEVER had an antibiotic and the Pediatrician has never even advised putting them on one. Our peditrician has been so impressed with the health of our children that he started getting his children adjusted!

Look at this way, try the DC for a month and follow everything they say to do and see how it works, if it is not working for you, go back to the ENT, the DC is not going to give your child harmful medications or surgery that can have severe side effects, so if it does not work, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to his body recovering from medications!

I know it is hard to make the right decision when it is your child and the right decision is not the same for everyone, but I am confident that the RIGHT Chiropractor will help your son and make you feel very comfortable with the help that he receives.

If you need help finding a DC in your area that specializes in children and families like mine does, please feel free to contact to me.

Good luck and God bless you!
W.

You sure got a lot of responses here. I am a proponent of chiropractors and acupuncture but my advice to you today is to cut out all dairy products. It is proven that dairy causes congestion leading to colds and therefore ear infections. That's my 2 cents worth.
M.

Hi N.
Try garlic in the ears, it works I promise. Buy garlic pills (liquid) and cut the tip off, put the garlic directly in the ears. You can use a q-tip just to make sure it doesn't leak out but don't put it too far in the ear. (I'm sure you know that). My son got an ear infection when he was 15 months and I put him in antibiotics (wish I hadn't) it didn't go away and she wanted to put him on a stronger one but I opted for the garlic. It really worked and he hasn't had an ear infection since. If you look up the benefits of garlic you'll be amazed how good it is for you. Whenever my son shows a slight sign of his ears bothering him I put garlic in at night and then he's fine.

And, yes a chiropractor is great for kids. When you body is aligned everything functions properly. I know lots of kids who get adjusted, mine included. It's definitely worth it.

Good luck! ~A.

Personally I would not feel comfortable using my child as a test case for the effectiveness of chiropractors in curing ear infections. As a speech pathologist I don't need to share the potential down side to being wrong. ALWAYS follow your gut, regardless of what friends, family etc say. Ultimately we are the parents, not them.

Hello,

When I was 8 years old, I had over 80% hearing loss in both ears and doctors were going to put tubes in my ears. My mom took me to the chiropractor 3 times a week for 3 weeks. I went back for the pre-op and did not have to get the tubes in my ears. I was later told, when the chiropractor adjust you, it opens up your ear to naturally drain, which is the same thing that the tubes do. I am now 28 and have 3 children of my own. I have taken all of them since they were babies, although we had a little break for a couple of years. In that time, my daughter (now 7 years old) began getting ear infections every 6 - 8 weeks. In addition to begining the chiropractor again, I also had her stop dairy products. She has not had an ear infection since, it's been about 3 1/2 years).
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND taking your children to a chiropractor!!!!!!!! However, please go to a highly refered one so your experience is good from the start!!! I hope this helps and best of luck!!!

S.

Oh my gosh, I read your mssg this morning right before I had to leave for work, and I just HAVE to respond...this is SO important---I cant stress enough how you need to enquire about this condition with an ENT.

My first born daughter Teah is now 16, but starting at since, well, forever, just as your boy, she battled severely with ear infections, chronically in her right ear. We went through the tubes, the antibiotics every other month, and the screaming in pain at times. I am a single mom and the daughter of a doctor. I am very medical. I KNEW, I just KNEW, something was not right. My daughter was sick.
One incident at her ENT's office while waiting as a walk-in because she couldnt wait for the appt day, they told me she cant be seen, after waiting there 3 hrs to see if we could fit in. I was LIVID. My baby, then 6, could not wait and to me, it was criminal. They had no referral except the hospital, which I had taken her countless times in pain, and they would prescribe antibiotics and the vicious circle that comes after, every time.
I called my dad, and this time he said TAKE HER OUT OF THIS AREA AND FIND THE BEST ENT YOU CAN, NOW. I got on the phone. I went to the next biggest city. I called the board and got the ENT most renowned. I was in their office THAT afternoon. Teah, my daughter, was in emergency surgery in 2 days, for CHOLESTEATOMA condition. Note that word. YOU NEED TO TELL YOUR ENT TO LOOK FOR IT.
Cholesteatoma is a condition that cannot always be seen before it's more advanced stages, unless you do a CAT scan or look behind the eardrum, if the eardrum is even left. This condition is a fungus, not something antibiotics will get rid of, and it destroys tissue very rapidly and dangerously, eating away the middle ear and back and then inward, toward the brain.
This Dr did surgery and she recovered, for a while, and the cholesteatoma returned within 4 mos. It has a 70% chance reoccurrance rate. It is just AWFUL. I didnt like this particualar Dr's attitude with me(which is not important really if your child is getting the best care), but I seeked out the best of the best, and that was the children's hospital at STANFORD.
She was in emergency surgery again in a week after going up there(and getting RIGHT in mind you...there is NO place as professional and medically correct like Stanford).
Teah's Cholesteatoma returned THREE times. She had to be closely montitored every 4-6 months. I was lucky enough to qualify for Children's Services of Tulare Co. Her Dr up there (ENT)is Dr Kay Chang. He is one of two Dr Changs. Hulart-Packards' Childrens' Hospital at Stanford.
At one point Teah was forming a brain absess. I was a wreck. I am a single mom and at that time Teah was my only child. I was a mother in survival-mode if you know what I mean. This condition is serious and an emergency. One can lose their whole inner ear, having to remove it. It can lead to a Radical Mastoidectomy, MAJOR. Three Dr.s tried to diagnose this as to stop the diseased tissue and I just wasnt going to have my daughter lose her right ear. She would never swim then, among other handicaps, and she was a child. The drive in me was unstoppable.
Dont wait. I dont want to scare you but yet I do. I felt so badly and responsible, as a mother, not knowing, and it cost her so much of her growing up at times.
Teah is OK now. She just had her 6 month recall at Stanford after 2 yrs free and clear finally. She turned 16 yesterday. I cant thank Dr Kay Chang enough for saving her.
I now have a 3 yr old daughter too! Still a single mama. I love my girls with a passion and they are my life.
You may or may not have to go through this. I pray you dont, but if he has this condition, get to Stanford to Teah's Dr. in the childrens' ENT dept. The earlier the better. You will be in the best hands.

Let me know PLEASE. I've never met anyone else who's had a baby with such drastic ear problems. Please write me.

Wendy

I would definitely suggest taking your son to the chiropractor before deciding on another surgery. I have spoken with my chiro many times about kids and chiropractic care and the benefits. We also have a cousin who is a chiropractor and he cares for his kids as well.

Many of the repetitive ailments that kids get, ear infections, allergies, etc. can be cured or improved with chiropractic care. Basically what she told me was this, your spine is what balances out your whole body and all your organs. So if your spine is off center, then so will the balance of your body. And other parts of your body will have to accomodate the imbalance of your spine. So if your spine is not balanced, then your organs are not balanced, and then your blood flow within your body will not be balanced, so the nutrition that your body needs to survive and work healthy will not flow the right way to the parts of your body that need it most.

She told me of two kids who she cared for. One was a child who had constant colds. She did a few treatments on him where she just used gently thumb pressure on one of the vertebrae in his neck that wasn't aligned and he no longer has repetitive colds. Another kid had really bad seasonal type allergies that plagued him all year long. She did similar technique with gentle thumb pressure on the vertebrae that weren't aligned and the kid is doing much better now.

So I would think that with constant earaches, it has something to do with the physical as well as hormonal balance (how the fluid in his ears drains etc.)of your son. Maybe the fluid is unable to drain out properly because he has a few vertebrae that are not aligned.

I think it would be good to atleast try it out before doing another surgery. The treatments would be almost painless for your son and would cost about $60 a session, unless your medical insurance covers it. I have insurance so it costs me just $15 a session and I see her about once a month.

Her name is Dr. Karen Paisley and she is in Poway. If you are in the area and would like her information, you can just PM me and I will give it to you.

She is really nice and caring and always asks about my kids and how they are doing health wise, etc. She told me what signs to look out for should they need chiropractic care for repetitive illnesses, etc. And boy does she give great pressure massages with her thumbs!

Hope this helps!

For many ailments, I try the chiropractor first. It's not just about manipulation of your bones. When your body is out of alignment, your systems are not functioning as efficiently or effectively. My son suddenly started wetting the bed, and an adjustment immediately cleared it up! One time I had an ear infection and it helped it go away without antibiotics. Go to a chiro that is used to working with children.

A chiropractor is a wonderful way for non evasive care. I have taken my children to a chiropractor when they were small. Yes, he/she can take a child with ear infections and in a few adjustments, take care of the problem. It is a lot cheaper than going and having the procedure for tubes.

They can also take away other problems with children. Chronic colds, pink eye, etc. I would recommend to take your child to one, and see what they can do. You might also see a change in their attitude and total wellbeing.

J.

You've already gotten tons of info but here's my 2 cents...

I had sciatic (spelling?) nerve problems after I foolishly tried to move a piano (on wheels) by myself. I was in SO much pain. I went to the Dr. and was given a muscle relaxer, a steroid, and a pain killer. On all of those medications, I STILL felt the pain! My now husband recommended his family chiropractor. I was adjusted and felt relief immediately! He explained that many medical Drs are treating symptoms whereas a chiropractor treats the source. It's still a hard concept for me to accept because I grew up with Drs and the social norm is medical Drs. I used to be a migraine sufferer but I haven't had one in 3 years- since I've seen the chiro.

There is no harm trying a chiro- if it doesn't help your situation, do the tubes again. Good luck!

Hi N.,

I swear by chiropractic help. Traditional school does not teach un-traditional methods or approaches so it isn't shocking that you have never heard of this kind of help. Go for a consultation and you can continue to ask yourself "What if it doesn't work" BUT try asking yourself "What if it does??" Then weigh the pros and cons. All the best:)

Hi N.! My name is H.. I feel your pain. When your child is hurting; it almost hurts you more. Although my son hasn't required a trip to the ENT; he has had many ear infections. When I was a child I had chronic, severe ear infections and know what that is like. As an adult I have had surgery by an ENT for problems related to my ears/glands. THOSE PROCEEDURES WERE THE MOST PAINFUL EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE! The healing period goes on for months and the pain is CONSTANT. I see a chiropractor as an adult and have taken my son to the chiropractor. I highly recommend going. Your fear is simply fear of the unknown. Any ENT could turn out to be a bad doctor, just as any chiropractor may. I suggest finding one that suits you, then go. A trip to the chiropractor is 15 minutes of nothing but a few gentle pushes on your son's spine and neck - which he won't even notice - OR, PAINFUL SURGERY! Also; I recommend garlic oil in the ears and ALWAYS put wax plugs in your son's ears in the tub/shower and pool. Do your best to get your son to keep his little fingers out of his ears!!! Those little fingers carry a lot of bacteria! Also; keeping little finger nail scratches from the tender skin in the ear will allow you to put alcohol or hydrogen peroxide in his ears to clean them out regularly. MY MOTHER DID THIS WITH ME WHEN I WAS A CHILD AND IT WORKED!!! Go to petergillihams.com for other holistic remedies. A chiropractor simply helps the human body to naturally heal itself. Check it out. Also; there are chiropractors who specialize in children and pregnant women's health. All of my best to you and your little guy. H.

My cousin's son was plagued with ear infections. She went the route of chiropractor and herbs (I remember something about garlic drops in his ears) and he did splendidly with that treatment. On the other hand, my daughter had tubes and also did great. Do some research about the chiropractic aspect. Meet with the ENT and discuss that option. Then go with your gut when you have all the info for both sides.

My youngest faced this same issue right after he was born and we were looking at tubes by age 1. Yikes! The ENT was adamant and thought we were nuts when we announced we were going to try chiropractic before agreeing to surgery. IT WORKED! They did this nifty thing called an "endonasal," where they tipped the ear canal with their fingers to drain all the fluid out Of course, this meant their finger had to be at the way back of the mouth, right at the top of the throat...definite gag reflex. The fluid drained out like post-nasal drip and tasted awful. Since I was having ear issues, too, my baby and I had "endonasals" together, which is how I know what it was like.

Thanks to this simple procedure, my son was spared surgery. The ENT swore he never saw a surgery candidate recover so quickly (it took about three months). The pediatrician was so excited by this, she scheduled time to meet with the chiropractors to learn more and began recommending it to her other patients as an alternative.

Chiropractic, overall, is a wonderful way to improved health. I'd give it a try, if a few month delay won't harm your son's hearing in the long term.

Hi N.,
I read your message & thought I would share something with you. I've heard a few horror stories about chiropractors and I would never in a million years take my child to see one. I'm a mom of 2 little ones & we have an awesome pediatricial at CHOC. Have you gotten a second opinion? I would urge you to take your son to CHOC or at least call the hospital for a list of doctors that specialize in ears. Go see one! I would venture to guess that not one would recommend a trip to the chiropractor! I'd go with your gut on this one ... if you're a speech-language pathologist who is familiar with 'the ear' and ear infections & you were never informed in your schooling about a chiropractor being able to help ear ailments that's got to be telling you something!!!!!!!!!!!!!

please try Santa Monica Homeopathic store first and see what they can do I bet they can help

Hi N.,
My son also has had chronic ear infections. I just recently found out that the infections may actually be caused by an allergy. We know he has some food allergies and are going to be testing for other allergies next month. The Allergist (I think that's what she's called) seemed to think that we may be able to pinpoint the issue and keep it from happening in the future. You might check with your pediatrician and ask them what they think. I'm hoping it works for us....
Good luck!
S.

Dear N.,

Homeopathy has an outstanding track record for not only curing chronic ear infections but also preventing them from ever coming back again. It does this by individualizing the remedy to the child and augmenting his vital force/immune system. If you like, I can help you find a pro in your neck of the woods.

Best wishes,

S. I., L.Ac.
Lotus Wellspring Healthcare
456 E. Mission Road, Suite 100
San Marcos, CA 92069
###-###-####
____@____.com
www.lotuswellspring.com

I have had GREAT experiences with the chiropractor. I take my 2 yr old son, also. The thing is, it can't hurt to try - you can always go to the ENT if you're not happy with the results. My feeling with the Chiro is that if the body is working properly (all nerves are able to operate freely) then the body has a better chance of healing itself. Sometimes it's difficult to see the connection between the spine and other parts/organs, but remember that the nerves go everywhere, and that is why the spine is adjusted, to prevent the nerves from being compromised. That being said, I always recommend you listen to your instinct - you know your child and your situation best of anyone.
Good luck!!!!!

First let me say that I'm not against chiropractic treatment at all and have used a chiropracter for my neck and back. However, I'm also a medical professional and I believe that while chiropractic can help alleviate/prevent some conditions, one has to be VERY discerning, and I don't believe for one minute that chiropractic can cure as many things as it claims (the same as I believe that western medicine can't cure everything it claims either). As an asthmatic, I've never had any relief from chiropractic, despite many attempts and many claims that it would help. My chiropractor, who I trusted, actually made a condition I had worse. I had my knee dislocate and consequently my hip went out of whack too. He made my knee and hip significantly more painful and inflammed (to the point I couldn't walk) after treatment. Come to find out, was that I had an autoimmune reaction to food poisoning a few months earlier, and what I was having was essentially a rheumatoid arthritis reaction in my joints, making them painful, weak, and swollen, causing the dislocation and prolonged swelling. Chiropractic treatment made the swelling and pain worse.

Would I see this chiropractor again? Maybe but I will be much more careful about the conditions for which I ask him to treat and never for an internal medicine issue. Like I said, he helped my neck and back pain at one time. He and I didn't know my true condition at the time, but he lumped it into an "orthopedic" condition first w/o investigating my other symptoms and actually suggested further treatment. It never would've helped and would've made things much worse.

Honestly, I would stick with the ENT and also I might suggest an allergist in case that might be a contributing factor. If your child is exposed to cigarette smoke, this can cause ear infections too (the nicotine paralyzes the cilia in the ear).

Again, I'm not against chiropractic treatment and wholeheartedly believe in complementary (vs. the term "alternative") medicine. There is no one way to fix everything, but just investigate everything and go with your mommy gut (it usually never fails us!)

Good luck

Give the chiro a try. I've been going for years and it has helped me in so many ways. I even went once with a terrible cold and after getting adjusted I literally felt my entire head drain from all the mucus and the cold was gone on the spot! It is completely safe, natural, no side effects, no drugs, no cutting. What have you got to lose?

Good luck!!

My son had chronic ear infections too. I never did the tubes because i have heard they can cause future problems and scarring. But I did find out my son was allergic to milk and casein. I took him off dairy, and he improved dramatically. You can take your son to an allergist (find a good one) and have him tested. Also if he has been on antibiotics a lot for the ear infections, those often mess up gut function, and contribute to the allergy problem. So consider additional nutritional support, and probiotics. I am now able to get my son over ear infections in a very short time by boosting his nutritional supplements for immune function: Vitamin C - I get the Childlife Liquid Vit. C from Whole Foods - you can mix in juice, and I get Glutathione caps (you can break open the cap in juice, too). Glutathione is something everyone has in their body, but if you have weakened immune system, you need more. Anyway it helps my son, and was recommended by his doctor, Also, I use a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in the ear after swimming, or if he is showing signs of upcoming ear infection, and that really helps sterilize the ear, and can help prevent it from getting worse. I have not had to go back to antibiotics since I started this system.

But seriously, check the dairy issue. Good Luck, I know how hard this is.

As far as the chiro, I think if you find a good one, it certainly couldn't hurt - and might help - many chiropracters are knowledgeable about nutrition and diet and the immune system, so you might get support there. I find it highly doubtful that chiropractic adjustments alone (and I used chiros for years) will be what your son needs for his ear infections. Unless of course, like the one Mom who posted - if he was really out of allignment, it's possible it could affect multiple body systems. But I think your answer is going to be in analyzing biologically what is affecting him.

Hi N.--

The chiropractor worked wonders with my brother. He too was told he needed tubes & our chiropractor pleaded to work on him before deciding on the surgery. He did for about 3 months 2x per week & my brother never had another ear infection--- no tubes needed.

I also agree though that you should work on the diet as well. Have your son allergy tested (an immuno cap-- it is a blood test) to determine if he is allergic to something that you can eliminate from his diet before resorting to surgery.

Good luck

I suggest you to try the chiropractor first. I have had such great experience with my chiro, regular appointments help keep headaches at bay & keep me feeling much better. I have brought my children in as newborns as well. My 8 yo has been know to ask when he gets to go to his next appointment. If you don't get results at the chiropractor you can always go the surgury route but why not try a much less invasive procedure first. Best of luck!

I have 3 thoughts on this, 2 of which I can personally recommend. My son is 5 and we had the same problems with his ears. When we lived in St. Louis I was taking him to a chiropractor that kept the infections down so we did not have to get tubes. Highly recommend chiropractic treatment. Once we moved back to California, our peditrican out here told us we should try taking JuicePlus. I ordered the JuicePlus gummies for kids and began giving them to my son about 1 1/2 years ago. Since then no chiropractor and no infections. Another highly recommended treatment. Please let me know if you want more information on JuicePlus, I can't say enough good things about the product for our whole family!! My email is ____@____.com and the website is tgaitajuiceplus.com. The 3rd recommendation that I have I haven't tried personally but if it had been available to us at the time I would have tried it. It is called craniosacial therapy (sp?). My understanding is, it is very similar to chiropractic but much more gentle. My doctor just referred me to one in Huntington Beach/Newport area. I haven't gone yet, but will be next week. Let me know if you are in the area and want the name (I don't have the name/phone number with me right now). Hope you get some help, we didn't want tubes either!

Hi!

When my pediatrician wanted to have tubes put in m daughter's ears when she was about 3 or 4, I decided to try everything else that I could, first. So we did chiropractic and I took her off of dairy products and wheat (these two are the most common allergies, and tend to produce ear and sinus problems.) She was fine after that, and healthy ever since, never had the surgery. (She's 30 now.)

Hi N.,
I know this is a longshot, but my son had chronic ear infections as a baby and was on the road to maintenance antibiotics and tubes, and I took him off of all dairy and the infections cleared up. Ended up that he was lactose intolerant. You may want to try taking him off all dairy for a couple of weeks and see if it has any affect. By the way, it was a friend of mine who suggested it, not the pediatrician. The Dr. did not acknowledge that it could be the dairy, even after it worked. (We switched doctors shortly after!)

Good luck,
M.

My son had multiple ear infections in his first year of life. I didn't want to have to put him under for the tube surgery so I did the Chiropractor thing. We paid a whole lot of money at 2-3 times per week of chiropractic adjustments and it never helped. He is now 3 yrs old and his second set of tubes are out. He no longer gets ear infections. I think that as they grow the ear canal will straighten out itself and the fluid will no longer pocket in the ear canal. The last ear infection he had was around his second birthday. Best of luck.