Chiropractic for colic and ear infections

[Sheila]

Dr. Steve,

This may not qualify as a weird medicine topic, but I'll give it a shot. Loved your one page baby instruction manual btw, and was hoping to get an opinion on this. My 2 year old has had about 3 ear infections this year, and hopefully is done with cold season finishing, and my newborn may be borderline colic. Wanted to get your opinion about chiropractic procedures for preventing ear infections and eliminating colic. With the ear thing, is this something that can be done before considering tubes?

Hope all is well!
Sheila

[Dr Steve]

Dr. Steve,

This may not qualify as a weird medicine topic, but I'll give it a shot. Loved your one page baby instruction manual btw, and was hoping to get an opinion on this. My 2 year old has had about 3 ear infections this year, and hopefully is done with cold season finishing, and my newborn may be borderline colic. Wanted to get your opinion about chiropractic procedures for preventing ear infections and eliminating colic. With the ear thing, is this something that can be done before considering tubes?

Hope all is well!
Sheila

Sheila:

I have several friends who are chiropractors. I totally respect their proven ability to relieve acute and chronic low back pain. I am not aware of any good studies that show that chiropractic manipulation is effective in either ear infections, or colic.

Ear infections are thought to be caused by a blockage of the eustachian tube. As the blood vessels surrounding the inside of the middle ear continue to suck oxygen out of the chamber a molecule at a time, a negative pressure builds up, drawing clear fluid out of the capillaries that surround it. This is a lovely culture medium, and voila, an ear infection is the result. Myringotomy tubes are a way of bypassing the air-pressure regulating activity of the eustachian tube.

http://www.healthofchildren.com/images/gech_0001_0003_0_img0187.jpg

I'm just not sure how manipulation would open the eustachian tube, but you could talk to them about it. Ask for peer-reviewed and blinded studies. One of my kids had myringotomy tubes placed after having 5 ear infections in a year and it changed his life. I'm an advocate of this procedure only if everything else has failed, though.

With regard to colic, it's still somewhat mysterious. However, if you're breastfeeding, it's likely something in your diet that's causing the problem. Eliminating foods one at a time will often let you know what's causing it. If you need more info on colic, please let me know and I'll do an essay on it.

Now, if you DO decide to try chiropractic, please let me know how it goes. There are a couple of chiropractors who read this forum and perhaps they could advise. I know most folks don't feel that vigorous spinal manipulation of babies is indicated. as you may have guessed, I'm not an expert on chiropractic practice.

hope this helps, rather than simply muddying the waters. :-)


your friend,



steve