Ear Infections, Swollen Tonsils and Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic is the best way to stop recurrent ear infections, chronic mucus and swollen tonsils and glands.  It is simply the best natural, safe and effective, drug free way to heal!

How does it work?

I have created a specific protocol in my family practice that works to stop ear infections and swollen tonsils, and prevents surgical procedures such as drainage tubes in the ears and removal of adenoids and/or tonsils. All of these medical treatments merely deal the symptoms and do not get to the root of the problem. Chiropractic, dietary changes and supplementation are the keys my protocol. They are all completely natural and honor the body's normal processes. We must address the cause so the body can heal!

The most important piece in this protocol is chiropractic. Chiropractic adjustments allow you to heal better so that everything else you are doing becomes more effective. The nervous system is the master control system of the entire body. A subluxation is a bone out of alignment in the spine that causes interference of the transmission of nerve impulses. The goal of the chiropractor is to locate and correct vertebral subluxations so the body can heal itself.

In the case of an ear infection, the top vertebrae in the spine called atlas is usually the main culprit causing several events to occur. When atlas goes out of alignment, the muscles that attach to it go into spasm creating a structural blockage to one or both Eustachian tubes leading to poor drainage of the ear and sinuses. Compared to an adult, a child's Eustachian tubes are more horizontal which adds to drainage problems (that's why it's more common in children). In addition, the part of the nervous system that bring messages from the brain to the ear, eye, nose, sinuses and back to the brain is located at the atlas. Subluxation of atlas is detrimental to the proper function of the body and is disruptive to normal regeneration/repair of the tissues, resulting in symptoms or dis-ease in those areas. The dysfunction in these cases is repeated infection of the related tissue. Lastly, an atlas subluxation can decrease your overall immune system function and research shows that chiropractic care increases your immune system function. These are the reasons chiropractic care is the most critical in this process. I typically recommend starting chiropractic adjustments at 3 times per week for anywhere from 4-12 weeks depending on the severity of the subluxation and how long it has been present, then tapering off to a maintenance schedule.

Another issue that adds to the buildup of fluid in the ears and sinuses involves the diet. Holistic practitioners agree, dairy foods cause mucus and inflammation. It is very important to reduce the amount of mucus the body is producing. Thus, the second key to healing these issues is to remove of ALL dairy from the diet (cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream, whey, casein, etc). The reduction of sugar in the diet will yield faster results as well so I recommend less sugar, candy, pasta, processed flours, grains, fruit juice and other concentrated forms of sugar. Drinking a lot of water is highly recommended too.

If antibiotics were ever used then I strongly suggest a 3 month round of high quality probiotics taken daily on an empty stomach. This replenishes the good bacteria that were destroyed by the antibiotics the person has been on. Science is discovering that 80% of your immune system is in your gut. Chiropractic and probiotics together help to heal the gut, therefore the impaired immune system.

When following this protocol most will have ear infections cease and tonsils reduce in size quickly. There is commonly some draining from the ear or nose as the body is ridding itself of the excess fluid/mucus. It can be brown or green and can last a few weeks. Some people go through retracing when they are healing. Retracing basically means they have to go backwards in time and re-experience symptoms in order to thoroughly heal. The patient can go through one or more symptomatic episodes. I have never seen more than one retracing episode occur in these types of cases. As long as antibiotics are avoided, the protocol is continued and the person is adjusted, it is usually short lived if it occurs. Antibiotics prevent the body from learning how to heal itself and will destroy valuable gut flora. If antibiotics are used while doing this protocol, then we have to start all over in this process. Instead I recommend natural remedies for comfort such as Gaia Herbs Ear Oil or Highland Earache Tablets. Homeopathic belladonna tablets can be used if a fever is present. For excessive mucus or phlegm I prefer Gaia Herbs Sniffle Support (kids formula). Adults can take herbs such as eyebright and black elderberry for the same effect. A few drops of olive oil or hydrogen peroxide directly in the ear helps as well.

When following my protocols, I see results 100% of the time. I have only had one case since 1998 that the child continued having problems and it was because the parents were not following the recommended chiropractic care schedule or the dietary recommendations. I even bumped into the family one day and the child was eating cheese crackers.

Surgery and drugs are not the answer to these problems. The human body is expressive when something is wrong and quieting that expression with medication or surgery is not real health. Surgery and drugs merely treat the symptoms and do not address the cause.True healing is from the inside-out!

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Kent, Christopher. Models of Vertebral Subluxation: A Review. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. August 1996, Vol 1:1. Pg 4-5

Sternberg EM, Chrousos GP, Wilder RL, Gold PW. The stress response and the regulation of inflammatory disease. Ann Intern Med 1992; 117 (10):854

Brennan PC, Triano JJ, McGregor M, et al. Enhanced neutrophil respiratory burst as a biological marker for manipulation forces: duration of the effect and association with substance P and tumor necrosis factor. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1992; 15(2):83

Go to http://icpa4kids.org/Chiropractic-Research/Ear-Infection-Otitis-Media/ for more research