Recurrent Ear Infections Resolved with Chiropractic Care

The Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, produced by the Council of Chiropractic Pediatrics of the International Chiropractors Association (ICA), published a case study in their October 2015 issue documenting the case of recurrent ear infections being stopped under chiropractic care.

The study begins by pointing out that Otitis Media (OM or ear infections) accounts for approximately 40% of antibiotic prescriptions for children under the age of 5 and is the number one reason for pediatric medical visits. OM is most common between the ages of 6 and 24 months-of-age. Of those who are diagnosed with OM, nearly one-third will have 3 or more episodes.

Common medical care for OM is antibiotics. However, the authors of this study note that over 30% of OM are viral in nature and are not helped by antibiotics. Additionally, the authors report that antibiotic resistance has become a concern driving many parents to seek alternative forms of care, such as chiropractic, for their children with OM.

In this case, a 23-month-old girl suffering with recurring ear infections was brought to the chiropractor by her mother. The girl's first acute OM episode occurred when she was only 6 months old. Each time, the child would pull on her ear and cry in pain. The girl did not run a fever during these episodes. With each episode, the child was brought to a walk-in clinic and was prescribed 10 days worth of antibiotics.

In a two year period, the baby girl had suffered 6 episodes of ear infections and was given the drug Amoxicillin in all of those instances except one, where she was given Biaxin.

A chiropractic examination led to the diagnosis of vertebral subluxations. Chiropractic care was initiated for the correction of the subluxations. Within one month, the baby's ear infections had completely cleared. The child remained under less frequent regular chiropractic care, and no further ear infections were observed from that point forward.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, "The purpose of this study was to present the chiropractic management of a patient with recurrent otitis media. The patient is still under chiropractic care and has had no other episode of medically diagnosed AOM. Considering the favorable outcome and the absence of adverse effects, this case report suggests that chiropractic treatment may be a natural, effective and low risk approach to managing recurrent acute otitis media in the pediatric patient."