Ear Infections
One of the most common complaints I see in my office with children is otitis media aka ear infections. Just last week, I had a mom come in with her 5 month old daughter to start care. She was recommended to us from a friend and past client of mine and as a nurse felt it would be good for both of them to get their spine checked.
During their exam mom mention that her daughter was currently dealing with an ear infection and congestion. After performing a leg check it wasn’t surprising to see the baby’s Atlas was subluxated. (The Atlas is the top bone in your spine just below the skull. A subluxation is a misalignment in the spine that causes nerve interference). I adjusted mom and baby and when they were checking out, mom bent down and said “She doesn’t sounds as congested any more!”
On their second visit mom informed me that her daughter was now sleeping through the night again and took a 4 hour nap after the adjustment! Great news for mom and baby. That is why I love what I do. I’m always in awe of the potential of the human body, especially in infants and kids. Now, how does all this work?
How is it not surprising that when there is an ear infection present the Atlas is subluxated? Check out the anatomy below.
As you can see, the first cervical vertebrae (Atlas) is directly behind the Eustachian tube. When Atlas is out of alignment it can put pressure on the surrounding tissue and Eustachian tube hindering the passage of fluid causing the fluid and bacteria to build up and infect the surrounding area. When the Atlas is adjusted, the pressure of the tube is released and the fluid is able to flow freely relieving pain and inflammation, such as in my young client in the experience above.
Chiropractic adjustments on children are very gentle. It only takes the pressure of testing a ripe tomato to make the adjustment. Check out the video I posted below of me adjusting a 5 month old baby at our office.
