ear infections + chiropractic

Ear infections are all too common in children. When we are sick our bodies are trying to express health. If our bodies are not able to function properly, our immune systems become out of balance. Chiropractic care can help the immune system and body work optimally. 

To better understand why kids get ear infections and how chiropractic can help, let’s take a look at a bit of anatomy. The eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the upper part of the throat. It is responsible for draining the ears and keeping equalized pressure. As children, our eustachian tubes are shorter, narrower and are more horizontal (or at less of an angle), making it harder for the ears to drain properly and causing an infection. 

Cranial nerves innervate the eustachian tubes. Misalignments in the upper cervical spine can affect the function of those nerves. Chiropractic adjustments remove these spinal misalignments allowing normal peristaltic motion of the eustachian tubes and proper fluid drainage. Chiropractic care has been shown to help reduce the symptoms of ear infections and may also help prevent them. 

I also want to share two natural remedies to help ear infections. Garlic oil and an essential oil blend of tea tree and lavender are my go-to recommendations. The majority of ear infections are viral, not bacterial, so antibiotics may not be helpful in most cases, but these remedies help with both.

Garlic is naturally antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal. It also has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. You use the garlic oil by putting a couple drops in the ear. As a side note, garlic oil should not be used if they have tubes or a ruptured eardrum. You can make your own garlic oil at home – it is super easy. 

There are a couple different essential oil blends for ear infections that you could use, but my favorite are tea tree and lavender. Tea tree, just like garlic, is naturally antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and is anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving. Tea tree is also an immune stimulant, so it does boost the immune system. Lavender of course is naturally calming, but it is also anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory and pain relieving. You want to use a carrier oil and dilute appropriately for your child’s age. You then rub the blend behind and in front of the ear. And as a bonus: You can also make a rollerball to always have on hand and you can use this exact blend for teething by rubbing it along the jaw. 

These natural remedies are great for ear infections, while also protecting the immune system. About 80% of the immune system is in the gut. Taking antibiotics can diminish all the healthy and good bacteria in the gut. So it’s important to protect them. Or at the very least if your child has taken antibiotics, get them on a high quality probiotic to help replenish the good bacteria in the gut.

If your child has recurring ear infections, it may be due to something going on a little deeper. A dairy allergy has been shown to significantly increase mucus production and cause a lot of inflammation in the body, including the ears, and is also mucus-producing. So you could get your child allergy tested or try removing dairy from their diet to see if that helps.

There you have it! Chiropractic and natural remedies to naturally fight ear infections.