How Does Chiropractic Care Help with Ear Infections?

For anyone who still associates chiropractic care only with back pain, they have a hard time understanding how an adjustment can have any effect upon an infection in a child's ear.  It comes down to the fact that the nerves are responsible for communication in all areas of the body.  Simply, if the nerve coming from the brain and going to the tissue around the Eustachian tube (the tube that drains the fluid from the inner ear) is being irritated, it can cause inflammation around the Eustachian tube and not allow it to drain properly.  When the fluid, that is naturally present, is not allowed to drain it builds up in the middle ear.  This excess fluid is a great place for microbes like viruses and bacteria to grow.  If an antibiotic is given, it may kill the bacteria but will do nothing for the fluid.  Chiropractic adjustments on the other hand restore the normal communication of the body, reduce the inflammation and allow the fluid to drain.  If the fluid is not allowed to build up the microbes have nothing to grow in.

 

How Early is Too Early?

So how early is "too early" for a newborn to be adjusted? 

As soon as they have misalignment in their spine they are able to be adjusted.  There was a study done to assess the percentage of deliveries that resulted in trauma to the newborn's neck.  The researchers found that 12% of the babies born at that hospital, had demonstrable neck trauma.  If your child falls into that 12% the number is way to high. 

A simple check at the chiropractic office on the way home from the hospital, or the first trip out if you deliver at home, and you can set that newborn on the road to better health.  Chiropractor's who are trained to assess infant's spines for subluxation can easily let you know if there was any trauma done to your little one's spine.  If adjustments are needed we are also well equipped to start correcting the damage that was done and head off problems that may have been in store for him or her.

What is FICPA?

So, what does the FICPA stand for after my name? Good question. FICPA is the acronym for Fellowship in the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. The ICPA is a non-profit organization developed for the training of chiropractors and the promotion of chiropractic care for children and expectant mothers. They formed to provide doctors of chiropractic with the highest quality training to best equip them to care for children. To earn a fellowship standing with the ICPA, I attended an extra year of training (120 hours) and completed an evaluation of competency. This is often referred to as being a certified pediatric chiropractor. I then completed an additional 240 hours of training over 2 years with the ICPA. Check out the website for the ICPA at www.icpa4kids.org