Ear Infections

[Tinkmom75]

My son has recurring ear infections and we are at the point of putting in tubes. Now my older son has had 2 sets of tubes and I had them when I was little. DH wants to try a chiropractor to treat the ear infection. Has anyone had experience with this good or bad?

 

[Inda]

I've heard that some have had success with chiropractic care and EIs. I'd definitely give it a try before getting tubes. I'd try everything before getting tubes.

Dr Sears has pretty decent info on EIs

 

[cart-mom]

Every child is different so there isn't one cure for all. That being said, I haven't used a chiropractor for EI but then my kids haven't had that many (lucky, I know). One suggestion I got from my pediatrician that seems to work for DD is taking Benadryl at the first sign of pain. Since ears and sinuses are so close, they seem to work in harmony together. It has prevented a few doctors visits (not all). I would try anything and everything using surgery as an absolute last resort. Use the greatest tool of our age - the Internet and research - research - research.

Good luck

 

[chloe770]

I have and do take my DS(5) to a chiropractor for ear infections. We started when he was 2 1/2 and it seemed to really make a difference for us. He does still get the occasional EI but maybe twice a year instead of every other month. I think it's worth a try first before you go with the tubes. It worked for us hopefully it can work for you. Good luck!

 

[thegrimdwarf]

In the past, I've worked for 2 chiropractors (handled their billing). One was a hack - I wouldn't have let him touch me with a 10 foot pole. The second one was the flip side of the coin, and he had a lot of families who came in for routine care. The moms all swore their kids were sick all the time, until they started getting regular adjustments. So I would say that if you have a good doc, it can definitely work to improve overall health.

 

[tammy1210]

I took dd and ds - ds had already had one set of tubes, and we were still having problems and dd was on the verge on having to have them. I had high hopes, but it didn't help with either of them. I still think it wouldn't hurt to try it - every child is different! Good luck.

 

[720L]

My DD had lots of ear infections and they tried to get us to put tubes in, but we just weren't convinced they would help her. When she turned 8, she stopped getting them. I'm not sure why they stopped--but I am so glad we didn't put tubes in. She had her tonsils and adenoids out when she was 5 and that didn't help at all, so we really didn't want to do another surgery. She also had quite bad allergies until about 8 years old. Now she gets sniffly in the spring and sometimes in the summer, but nothing like she used to be.

 

[homeschooler]

I have been amazed and the things a chiropractor can help with. It the first one doesn't help, you might want to give the second one a try.

Also, this is going to sound strange but ask about Claritin D also. The ped. put my DS on that very young and it helped.

 

[bzzymom]

DD used to get a lot of ear infections, and when she was 3 she quit having them. I have heard/read of it helping people, but I never took her.

 

[JimmyJr'sMom]

My son has my ears. I had ear infections for many years as a child. Had tubes one time, as well as tonsils and adenoids removed.

First time Jimmy had tubes- 14 mos. We were at the ENT Dr for recurring ear infections and they did a tympanogram on his ear and determined he was hearing 0-5% of any sounds. Very little speech at that time. His ears would not drain, full of fluid. Everything he heard sounded like it was under water.
DO NOT DELAY GETTING TREATMENT. It can affect their speech and consequently their cognitive skills.
Jimmy is now six and still needs speech therapy twice a week. We are on his second set of tubes, and only see the extremely rare ear infection.

ONE NOTE- To avoid full blown ear infections, at the first sign of congestion (allergy or cold) hit them with strong decongestant medicines so the fluid does not back up into their ears....

 

[Tinkmom75]

We went ahead and went to the chiropractor. He performed the procedure (no more than yanking the ear in a special way) on me and my husband to show us what it would feel like prior to doing my sons ears. When he did my ears he felt behind them and said yours will pop. They did and then I could feel fluid draining out of my ears down the tube behind your ears. I don't know if it will work for my son, but I gotta believe it now after he did it to me. It was a strange feeling. We have a follow up on Friday and then if DS's ears don't move then we will go back in 2 weeks.

 

[proteus]

I'm very skeptical about Chiropractors, we had one come to our company and he made all kinds of claims which I knew were not based on fact. Afterwards I read up on the practice and a lot of what they do is unproven, couldn't find any citations in reputable medical journals.

 

[Tinkmom75]

Proteus,
I totally understand your skeptisism. I was there too. A few years ago I would have said no way, but now I am more open to alternative medicine because of a few things going on with a couple different people that I know that I highly respect. I am totally prepared for it not working, but I thought I'd give it a try before doing the surgery.

 

[happymommy]

Another skeptic here. I wouldn't wait too long.

My son had one set at about 1 year old. He wasn't walking or talking well, although a few months earlier he had been speaking. The next day, he got up and walked and his speech exploded! I think it was affecting his balance and hearing. He had been having more than one ear infection a month. He still has a weaker than normal immune system, but luckily the ears pretty much cleared up.

I even had a good friend who was a chiropractor, but I think they make some claims that really aren't backed up medically.

 

[tiggger1]

My son has my ears. I had ear infections for many years as a child. Had tubes one time, as well as tonsils and adenoids removed.

First time Jimmy had tubes- 14 mos. We were at the ENT Dr for recurring ear infections and they did a tympanogram on his ear and determined he was hearing 0-5% of any sounds. Very little speech at that time. His ears would not drain, full of fluid. Everything he heard sounded like it was under water.
DO NOT DELAY GETTING TREATMENT. It can affect their speech and consequently their cognitive skills.
Jimmy is now six and still needs speech therapy twice a week. We are on his second set of tubes, and only see the extremely rare ear infection.

ONE NOTE- To avoid full blown ear infections, at the first sign of congestion (allergy or cold) hit them with strong decongestant medicines so the fluid does not back up into their ears....

this is exactly what happened to my son. when they put the tubes in they said he had no hearing in one ear...

 

[jennifer293]

DD got tubes put in Jan 2006 and had to have them removed in Jan 2008, she was the minority and they never fell out. She has had one ear infection since and I am hoping that was just some fluke thing that came along with a sinus infection she had. She has spent the whole summer in the Tennessee River, splashing, diving, etc. and no problems so far.

Other than the "selective hearing" she inherited from her father her hearing is just fine...

 

[chillcoupons]

Chiropractors are the equivalent of witchdoctors. I would just try cutting up a chicken and burying it in the backyard during the next full moon.

 

[chloe770]

Chiropractors are the equivalent of witchdoctors. I would just try cutting up a chicken and burying it in the backyard during the next full moon.

Wow! That was harsh I'll have to let my chiropractor know he is equivalent to a witch doctor when I go visit him tomorrow.

 

[CrazyaboutCinderella]

My DS, now 4 had recurring ear infections and what I tried was switching him to hormone free milk. This has worked so far. He mainly seems to get the ear infections in the winter, so we will see how this works out then.

 

[feedthebirds]

My son has recurring ear infections and we are at the point of putting in tubes. Now my older son has had 2 sets of tubes and I had them when I was little. DH wants to try a chiropractor to treat the ear infection. Has anyone had experience with this good or bad?

Me and we had a good experience!!!!!!!!

This saved my daughter from tubes. I told the ENT about what I had read about chiropractic and ear infections and he said it only works for some kids, not all. So off to the chiropractor I went. The chiro then told me that it doesn't work for all kids also. I decided to give it a shot and it worked. He would adjust her and the fluid would drain out. The key for me was noticing when she appeared to have the beginnings of symptoms and then taking her in the same day. When she got older she would tell me her ear was bothering her and ask to go. My daughter went from 6 infections in her short 16 month lifetime to a now 4 1/2 year old who has had 2 since beginning the chiropractic care (both times we were on vacation, no chiro, fun).



"Chiropractors are the equivalent of witchdoctors. I would just try cutting up a chicken and burying it in the backyard during the next full moon."

I don't know if you are a guy or a woman, but if you are a woman, I hope you never have to be in the situation after childbirth where your pelvis does not reattach itself properly like I was. If not for the chiropractor, I would've not been able to walk (I couldn't for 4 days as it was) and would've possibly had to have surgery.