Guest Post: What do you do when your child has an ear infection?
- By Lisa Soesbe and guest, Dr. Ravi Jitta
- •
- 26 Apr, 2018
- •
When I was a child, I had ear infections constantly and in my opinion, mine were most likely caused by the food that I was eating as a child. Unfortunately, my parents did not know that this was the cause and instead I was put on antibiotic after antibiotic for this problem. This throwback photo of me above was actually from a trip to England to visit family. What do I remember about this trip? Getting put on an antibiotic. If I remember correctly, it was banana flavored. This was when I was about 6 years old. I am sure we saw awesome things like Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, but what do I remember about this trip? Being on an antibiotic.
Did you know that chronic ear infections can be caused by a food allergy or food sensitivity? Most of the time the culprit is pasteurized dairy or wheat. Though this may not necessarily be the cause of your child's ear infections, there may be a link. If you read my blog post, about how I found out my son had a food allergy, you may remember that if I hadn't taken wheat out of his diet, he may have to this day still been on a steroid unnecessarily. This is why it is helpful to keep a food journal to see if this may be what is contributing to your child's frequent ear infections. You can then try an elimination diet to eliminate the foods that seem to be the culprit to see if this helps.
Fortunately, my children had very few ear infections when they were little, but perhaps the reason that they didn’t really have these issues was that I took them to the chiropractor on a regular basis. Because I am a firm believer in chiropractic care and I know that many people have had a lot of success with chiropractic care for ear infections, I asked a local chiropractor to share more about this. (Mainly because people sometimes look at me funny when I ask them if they have ever brought their child to see a chiropractor for their ear infections, among other things.) I would have done the same thing, had it not been for one chiropractor in particular who took the time to educate me and all of their patients about why and how chiropractic care works. Education matters. I hope you find this post from Dr. Ravi Jitta, of Tradition Family Chiropractic educational and helpful.
Did you know that chronic ear infections can be caused by a food allergy or food sensitivity? Most of the time the culprit is pasteurized dairy or wheat. Though this may not necessarily be the cause of your child's ear infections, there may be a link. If you read my blog post, about how I found out my son had a food allergy, you may remember that if I hadn't taken wheat out of his diet, he may have to this day still been on a steroid unnecessarily. This is why it is helpful to keep a food journal to see if this may be what is contributing to your child's frequent ear infections. You can then try an elimination diet to eliminate the foods that seem to be the culprit to see if this helps.
Fortunately, my children had very few ear infections when they were little, but perhaps the reason that they didn’t really have these issues was that I took them to the chiropractor on a regular basis. Because I am a firm believer in chiropractic care and I know that many people have had a lot of success with chiropractic care for ear infections, I asked a local chiropractor to share more about this. (Mainly because people sometimes look at me funny when I ask them if they have ever brought their child to see a chiropractor for their ear infections, among other things.) I would have done the same thing, had it not been for one chiropractor in particular who took the time to educate me and all of their patients about why and how chiropractic care works. Education matters. I hope you find this post from Dr. Ravi Jitta, of Tradition Family Chiropractic educational and helpful.
Ear Infections and 3 Natural Remedies
Dr. Ravi Jitta, Tradition Family Chiropractic
An ear infection is the inflammation of the outer, middle or inner ear. For this article, I am going to focus on the most common type, known as Otitis Media (OM) or middle ear infection. Most often times these infections occur between the eardrum and inner ear- known as the middle ear. The purpose of the middle ear is to transmit sound, or vibrational waves from the outer ear to the inner ear to produce sound. These ear infections are caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Bacterial ear infections are most likely caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. Viruses can be the culprit of middle ear infections as well. Viruses, such as the common cold or allergies can cause a build-up of fluid and the development of pressure in the eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the throat. This build-up of pressure and fluid then create an environment for the growth of bacteria or virus to thrive on, resulting in an ear infection.
Ear infection symptoms can vary depending on the age of the child. Since most ear infections happen before they've learned how to talk, here are a few things to look out for :
The pain or earache is usually worse when in the lying down position, due to the eustachian tube angle. The likelihood of having an ear infection is increased for children who are bottle fed, exposed to cigarette smoke, climate and altitude changes.
Treatment for ear infections based on traditional healthcare consists of antibiotic therapy. However, there are concerns about this. As the CDC states, “Otitis media may not need antibiotics in many cases because the body’s immune system can fight off the infection without help from antibiotics and a mild case often will get better on its own without antibiotic treatment, so your healthcare professional may recommend watchful waiting.” Many physicians still prescribe antibiotics today, leading to recurrent ear infections of the same nature. Overuse of antibiotics is very concerning due to the effect of resistance to antibiotics and development of childhood asthma. However, there are many natural ways to get to the root cause of ear infections. The top three natural remedies for ear infections are listed below:
Top 3 Natural Remedies for Ear Infections (Otitis Media)
1. Chiropractic Care - The idea of Chiropractic Adjustments in the ability to help improve the care of ear infections is the adjustment of the cervical vertebra can help to relax the muscles that surround the eustachian tube. The adjustment allows for proper drainage and restores the natural function of the nervous system benefiting the immune system, giving the body the best ability to fight off the bacterial or viral ear infection built up in the ear. A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics looked at 46 children 5 years old or younger and the effects of chiropractic care on ear infection symptoms. This study was a limited cohort nonrandomized retrospective study, but its results were interesting: 93 percent of all episodes improved with 75 percent improving in 10 days or fewer and 43 percent with only one or two treatments. Chiropractic care also aims to restore the natural function of the nervous system, which can benefit the health of the entire body.
2. Garlic oil- Garlic oil has been considered “Nature’s antibiotic.” It can help get to the root of ear infections and kill off the offending pathogens. Multiple studies have demonstrated garlic’s potent antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal properties. It’s also been shown to have a highly positive effect on immune health. One drop can be put into the affected ear. NOTE: NEVER PUT DROPS IN A PERFORATED EAR DRUM Taking your child to the doctor for an ear infection may be the result of being prescribed an antibiotic. This is the time you may want to question your doctor in regards to the recommendation as the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends a wait-and-watch or watchful waiting period in low-risk kids rather than jumping to prescribing antibiotics right away. As stated in the article earlier, overuse of antibiotics is leading to antibiotic resistance and higher chances of childhood asthma. You can find garlic oil in your local health food store.
3. Mullein oil- This plant or oil can also be combined with Garlic oil. It is made from the flower of the Mullein plant giving it, it’s quality of a potent painkiller, antiviral and anti-inflammatory. The plant leaf itself can be used to soothe external pain and swelling. One drop can be put into the affected ear. NOTE: NEVER PUT DROPS IN A PERFORATED EAR DRUMResearch published in The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine demonstrated how an herbal ear drop containing mullein was just as effective when it came to pain relief as an anesthetic one. Mullein oil can be found at your local health food store.
If your child experiences dizziness, vertigo or hearing loss and symptoms do not get better after visiting your local chiropractor, you should seek emergency medical care or contact your pediatrician.
- ear tugging
- fussiness or crying
- trouble sleeping
- fluid draining from the ear
- balance problems
- having a hard time responding to commands
The pain or earache is usually worse when in the lying down position, due to the eustachian tube angle. The likelihood of having an ear infection is increased for children who are bottle fed, exposed to cigarette smoke, climate and altitude changes.
Treatment for ear infections based on traditional healthcare consists of antibiotic therapy. However, there are concerns about this. As the CDC states, “Otitis media may not need antibiotics in many cases because the body’s immune system can fight off the infection without help from antibiotics and a mild case often will get better on its own without antibiotic treatment, so your healthcare professional may recommend watchful waiting.” Many physicians still prescribe antibiotics today, leading to recurrent ear infections of the same nature. Overuse of antibiotics is very concerning due to the effect of resistance to antibiotics and development of childhood asthma. However, there are many natural ways to get to the root cause of ear infections. The top three natural remedies for ear infections are listed below:
Top 3 Natural Remedies for Ear Infections (Otitis Media)
1. Chiropractic Care - The idea of Chiropractic Adjustments in the ability to help improve the care of ear infections is the adjustment of the cervical vertebra can help to relax the muscles that surround the eustachian tube. The adjustment allows for proper drainage and restores the natural function of the nervous system benefiting the immune system, giving the body the best ability to fight off the bacterial or viral ear infection built up in the ear. A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics looked at 46 children 5 years old or younger and the effects of chiropractic care on ear infection symptoms. This study was a limited cohort nonrandomized retrospective study, but its results were interesting: 93 percent of all episodes improved with 75 percent improving in 10 days or fewer and 43 percent with only one or two treatments. Chiropractic care also aims to restore the natural function of the nervous system, which can benefit the health of the entire body.
2. Garlic oil- Garlic oil has been considered “Nature’s antibiotic.” It can help get to the root of ear infections and kill off the offending pathogens. Multiple studies have demonstrated garlic’s potent antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal properties. It’s also been shown to have a highly positive effect on immune health. One drop can be put into the affected ear. NOTE: NEVER PUT DROPS IN A PERFORATED EAR DRUM Taking your child to the doctor for an ear infection may be the result of being prescribed an antibiotic. This is the time you may want to question your doctor in regards to the recommendation as the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends a wait-and-watch or watchful waiting period in low-risk kids rather than jumping to prescribing antibiotics right away. As stated in the article earlier, overuse of antibiotics is leading to antibiotic resistance and higher chances of childhood asthma. You can find garlic oil in your local health food store.
3. Mullein oil- This plant or oil can also be combined with Garlic oil. It is made from the flower of the Mullein plant giving it, it’s quality of a potent painkiller, antiviral and anti-inflammatory. The plant leaf itself can be used to soothe external pain and swelling. One drop can be put into the affected ear. NOTE: NEVER PUT DROPS IN A PERFORATED EAR DRUMResearch published in The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine demonstrated how an herbal ear drop containing mullein was just as effective when it came to pain relief as an anesthetic one. Mullein oil can be found at your local health food store.
If your child experiences dizziness, vertigo or hearing loss and symptoms do not get better after visiting your local chiropractor, you should seek emergency medical care or contact your pediatrician.
Have you ever bribed your children with sweet treats to get them to do something? Let’s face it, we have all done this before. I’ll be the first one to say I have done this until I realized why I should stop the cycle.
In schools, sporting clubs, and other activities where children are involved, people reward children with candy and other unhealthy snacks. There are even popular lesson plans used in schools that include using M&M’s or Skittles; after the children use the treats for their lesson, they get to eat them as their reward. In American society, this has now become the norm. Go to the barbershop and Johnny gets a treat because he sat so nicely for his haircut. Go to dance class and little Mary gets a piece of candy at the end of class. Go to the bank and Joey gets a lollipop for being a good boy in the bank. It goes on and on. The people that assume that this is okay think, “What’s the big deal?”. This may even be you! I will tell you why this is such a big deal. This is affecting our children both physically and emotionally.
In schools, sporting clubs, and other activities where children are involved, people reward children with candy and other unhealthy snacks. There are even popular lesson plans used in schools that include using M&M’s or Skittles; after the children use the treats for their lesson, they get to eat them as their reward. In American society, this has now become the norm. Go to the barbershop and Johnny gets a treat because he sat so nicely for his haircut. Go to dance class and little Mary gets a piece of candy at the end of class. Go to the bank and Joey gets a lollipop for being a good boy in the bank. It goes on and on. The people that assume that this is okay think, “What’s the big deal?”. This may even be you! I will tell you why this is such a big deal. This is affecting our children both physically and emotionally.
If there is one thing I am good at, it is stretching a dollar. This is one reason I love getting gift cards for gifts. I know that I am great at getting as much out of that gift card that I can by shopping myself. It is like a game for me to see how much stuff I can get with a gift card paired with sales and coupons. Call me weird but it saves me money! I do the same thing when it comes to purchasing groceries. I have standards when it comes to the food I am eating and feeding my family. Food is one of the most important things that you buy and what kind of food you are buying matters in terms of your health. So while I would much rather to be able to purchase good food than sport a luxury purse or designer clothing, I still like to stretch my food dollars as much as possible. If I told you that you can actually get cash back for eating healthy, would you believe me?
I want to share a little hack I discovered a long time ago that I use a lot and pretty much for any online shopping. Have you ever heard of Ebates ? If you are not a member, you are going to want to click on the word Ebates anywhere in this post and sign up today because it will save you lots of money on anything you buy and if you use the referral link, once you sign up and spend $25 or more, you will get $10. If you are not a member you have nothing to lose because it costs you nothing. Do you shop online at all? Chances are your favorite retailer is on Ebates and you will get paid for your normal shopping routine just by signing into Ebates first and then going to your favorite site. Some examples of stores I am talking about are Target, Walmart, Kohl's and even Amazon! You simply must check this out.
Now, let me tell you about how I get cash back for eating healthy. My hack is to log in to Ebates and then shop the sales on Vitacost.com. Vitacost is an online health and wellness store with over 45,000 products. They also tend to have the best prices on most things. This gives me great savings because I can buy stuff like organic coconut milk, raw nuts, soy free chocolate chips, nut butters, and gluten-free flours as well as personal care items like deodorant, shampoo and conditioner from Vitacost when it is on sale and if I am buying through Ebates I will normally get at least 3% cash back from Vitacost. They also offer free 2-day shipping on orders over $49 so I usually order stuff that I will need for the month in one order so that I can save on shipping as well.
I want to share a little hack I discovered a long time ago that I use a lot and pretty much for any online shopping. Have you ever heard of Ebates ? If you are not a member, you are going to want to click on the word Ebates anywhere in this post and sign up today because it will save you lots of money on anything you buy and if you use the referral link, once you sign up and spend $25 or more, you will get $10. If you are not a member you have nothing to lose because it costs you nothing. Do you shop online at all? Chances are your favorite retailer is on Ebates and you will get paid for your normal shopping routine just by signing into Ebates first and then going to your favorite site. Some examples of stores I am talking about are Target, Walmart, Kohl's and even Amazon! You simply must check this out.
Now, let me tell you about how I get cash back for eating healthy. My hack is to log in to Ebates and then shop the sales on Vitacost.com. Vitacost is an online health and wellness store with over 45,000 products. They also tend to have the best prices on most things. This gives me great savings because I can buy stuff like organic coconut milk, raw nuts, soy free chocolate chips, nut butters, and gluten-free flours as well as personal care items like deodorant, shampoo and conditioner from Vitacost when it is on sale and if I am buying through Ebates I will normally get at least 3% cash back from Vitacost. They also offer free 2-day shipping on orders over $49 so I usually order stuff that I will need for the month in one order so that I can save on shipping as well.
How we prevented a potentially bad situation by paying close attention
In the words of Ellen Degeneres, "Be Kind to One Another"
