Everything You Need To Know About Ear Infections

Ear infections are one of the most common infections in children. Studies show that five out of six children will experience ear infections (otitis media) by the time they are three years old.¹ Numerous adults also suffer from symptoms of an ear infection but there are natural, safe, and effective treatments to help you and your children return to optimal health.

What is an Ear Infection?

Ear infections are often very painful due to inflammation and fluid buildup and can develop in your middle, outer, and inner ear. This occurs when the eustachian tubes (the small tubes that run from the ear to the back of the throat that drain fluid away from the ears) become swollen, irritated, or blocked, causing fluid to build up.

Ear infections can be chronic (lasting for an extended period of time or with constant recurrence) or acute (short duration with little to no recurrence) and happen when fluid in the interior space behind the eardrum becomes infected, usually with bacteria.

This can lead to fluid buildup causing pressure that pushes the eardrum outward which then leads to pain and at times fever. Ear pain can range from a minor nuisance to a major source of agony affecting your overall quality of life. Therefore, it is essential to recognize the signs and symptoms, understand the difference between an ear infection and an earache, and have access to quality natural therapies such as chiropractic services that can not only treat but help in the prevention of ear infections and ache.

What's the difference between an Earache vs. an Ear Infection?

Although an earache and an ear infection can cause substantial pain and discomfort, the main difference between an earache and an ear infection is that not all ear aches are caused by an infection. For example, an ear ache can be caused by many outside influences not necessarily directly related to the ear or infections such as:

• Injury
• Pain from a sore throat
• A problem with the jaw joints being misaligned
• Pain transference from infections or inflammation elsewhere in the body such as a toothache, neck, or back pain
• Changes in altitude such as flying in a plane
• Water trapped in the ear i.e., swimmers’ ear
• Irritation of the nerves in and around the ear

Often the signs and symptoms of both an earache and an ear infection can appear similar with the largest difference being the presence of a fever. However, with earache pain at times being caused by infection elsewhere in the body such as an abscessed tooth, a fever can sometimes be present during an earache.

What are the symptoms of ear infections and earaches?

• Mild pain or discomfort inside your ear
• A persistent feeling of pressure inside your ear
• Pus-like ear drainage
• Sudden sharp pain in your ear
• Trouble hearing
• Difficulty sleeping
• Headache
• Fever
• Ringing in the ear (tinnitus)
• Spinning sensation (vertigo) which can lead to nausea and vomiting
• Itching in the ear

Symptoms to watch for in children who are not yet vocal and cannot verbally express their discomfort may include tugging, rubbing, or pulling at their ear, unresponsive to some sounds, fussiness or restlessness, a loss of appetite, and/or losing their balance.

Children and adults alike suffer from ear infections and earaches with many not realizing the underlying cause of the condition thereby continuing to suffer with recurring pain. Our doctors at Spine Stop Chiropractic understand the complexity of the ear and surrounding body parts and work to discover the root cause of your or your child's ear infection and ache naturally.

How can chiropractic care help me?

Chiropractic care may not seem like the first choice in treating or preventing ear infections, however, with an approach that focuses on the entire body, chiropractors can not only naturally treat ear infections and aches, but they also work to prevent future occurrences allowing you to live your life to the fullest without pain.

This is done by investigating the root cause of ear infections beginning with the overall connections and alignment of your body. If your spine, neck, jaw, etc. are misaligned, nerve signals and the flow of healing fluids can become blocked thereby causing pain, inflammation, and pressure to occur within your ear and other parts of your body.

By increasing your overall body’s joint mobility and improving your nervous system function through gentle non-invasive chiropractic treatments, your body has the ability to better manage the pain caused by ear infections, speed the healing process, and aid in the prevention of future ear infections. Chiropractic adjustments to the spine and neck can also work to open up restrictive tissue around the inner ear to help drain the bacteria or virus causing the infection into the throat from the Eustachian tube and out of the body.

Chiropractic care is an excellent resource for the treatment and prevention of ear infections and is a safe and effective treatment for both children and adults. Using a holistic approach to whole body care, the staff at Spine Stop Chiropractic have the experience and the skills to help you recover from ear infections naturally and help stop the recurrence of chronic ear infections that plague numerous children.

In fact, studies show that 93 percent of the children who received chiropractic adjustments for chronic ear infections saw improved symptoms and of those, 75 percent experienced an improvement in just 10 days.²

Discover the benefits of ongoing chiropractic care for the treatment and prevention of ear infections today!

Chiropractic Benefits for Ear Infections Include:

• Improved coordination and balance
• Relief from discomfort and pain
• Improved flexibility
• Decreased inflammation
• Improved drainage of fluid from the ears helping to prevent infection
• Reduction in chronic ear infections

We understand that not everyone is familiar with chiropractic care, so all new patients receive a consultation, examination and if necessary, an x-ray. Then our doctors will review your condition and walk you through an easy-to-follow treatment plan that’s unique to you.

There’s no pressure when you visit our office. Our friendly staff want to answer any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.