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Ear Infections

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Every year, 500,000 children have surgical tubes placed in their ears for ‪‎ear infections, and 98% still get reoccurring infections thereafter. However, according to a study on over 400 children with chronic ear infections, 80% showed no recurrence after undergoing regular ‪‎chiropractic care for six months. This is due to the improvement of fluid drainage from the inner ear.

The fluid in a child’s ears does not drain as easy as it does in an adult’s because children’s eustachian tubes are more horizontal than vertical. Due to this anatomical difference, fluid may accumulate and remain in children’s eustachian tubes for longer periods, allowing viruses or bacteria to proliferate, leading to infection. These infections are most often treated with antibiotics, which kill not only pathogenic bacteria but also the healthy tissue cells. If the ear infection is caused by a virus, then the child is taking unnecessary antibiotics, which have no effect against viruses. Statistics now indicate that repeated or inadequate use of antibiotics contributes to future infections by creating drug-resistant strains. If a child continues to get ear infections, he/she may be placed under general anesthesia to have drainage tubes surgically implanted.

The chiropractic treatment for ear infections addresses the top vertebae in the neck, including the atlas, which is in intimate contact with the eustachian tubes. If this bone is slightly out of place, it may put pressure on the tube resulting in a smaller drainage aperture. The longer the fluid remains in the tube, the more likely it is to get infected. Chiropractic adjustments to the atlas are a natural way to reduce blockage, improve fluid drainage, and reduce the risk of infection. For parents whose children suffer from chronic ear infections, this option is safer, more affordable, and less invasive.

Headaches

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Everyone has headaches at some point in life, and they manifest in four different types: tension, cluster, migraine and trigger point headaches. Each type can present in different ways. Some can be mild, while others are severe enough to cause nausea and vomiting. Because they have become so common, many people consider headaches a normal part of life, but at no point in life are headaches normal. A headache is a warning sign that something in your body has gone awry.

Research study after research study, new findings continue to demonstrate that chiropractic adjustments are among the most effective headache treatments. This is no surprise to chiropractors, as a majority of headaches originate in the neck region, which a majority of chiropractors specialize in. A report released in 2001 by researchers at the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that “spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than commonly prescribed medications.” These findings support an earlier study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics that found spinal manipulative therapy to be effective for treating tension headaches. This study also found that those who stopped chiropractic treatment after four weeks continued to experience a sustained benefit in contrast to those patients who received pain medication.

The following suggestions can significantly reduce or even prevent headaches:

  • If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, at a sewing machine, typing, or even reading, take a break and stretch every 30 to 60 minutes. The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable range of motion.
  • Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.
  • Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing. This results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) – the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull – leading to TMJ irritation and a form of tension headaches.
  • Drink half your body weight in ounces of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.
  • Schedule regular chiropractic adjustments to keep the stress off you neck.