Title : Ear Infections along with Homeopathy
As I am sitting at my desk, writing This particular very article, the phone rings. I had just finished referencing some recent medical journal articles (see below) which conclude the worthlessness of, along with harm through, treating most childhood ear infections with antibiotics. There will be a man on the line inquiring if I can help with his child's ear infections. that will seems his 14 month old daughter gets an ear infection about once per month. She has received multiple courses of antibiotics, all to no avail, along with currently their pediatrician wants to put her on a six month course! "This particular can't be not bad for her," he says to me. "So I am trying to find out if there will be something else we can do." These calls come all to often, usually after yet another failed antibiotic prescription or just after being told by the pediatrician that will "If This particular doesn't clear up soon we'll need to do surgery to put tubes in Johnny's ear." Sound familiar? If not, yours will be a very unusual child indeed. Earache will be the single most common reason for bringing a child to a pediatrician. Three quarters of all children will have had at least one earache by the time they're three years of age, along with about a third will have had more than three episodes. Over the past 20 years the incidence of childhood ear infection has increased, occurring both more frequently along with beginning at an earlier age.
Ear infections, or otitis (oto=ear, -itis=inflammation) can involve any part of the ear. Most commonly are infections of the outer ear or the ear canal called otitis externa, along with the middle ear along with ear drum, called otitis media. Of the two, otitis media will be the more serious along with the one most often referred to when your doctor diagnoses an "ear infection." How the middle ear becomes infected will be fairly straightforward. Why will be not always so. There will be a smaller tube, called the eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear along with the throat. that will's purpose will be twofold. One will be to open along with close to allow fluid produced inside the ear to drain out along with into the throat along with prevent some other fluids through backing up into the ear. that will's second function will be also to open along with close for the purpose of normalizing air pressure. When we travel to a higher altitude along with our ears "clog." Swallowing causes them to "pop" because that will action opens the eustachian tube allowing the pressure inside along with out to equalize. Ear infections may develop when the eustachian tube does not open along with close properly, allowing germ-laden fluids through the throat, along with secretions produced inside the nose, to back up into the middle ear along with not drain out. Colds along with allergies may produce inflammation inside the area along with can be another cause for the eustachian tube to not function properly. As the immune system does that will's job to fight the infection, dead bacteria along with white blood cells form pus which puts pressure on the eardrum as that will builds up. The eardrum, or tympanic membrane, bulges outward under This particular build up, becoming painful as that will will be stretched. An older child will be able to tell you that will there will be something going on with their ear. With younger children you may notice them tugging at the ear or behaving differently, becoming either particularly irritable or perhaps very clingy. Fever may or may not accompany an ear infection along with can be low or quite high. Occasionally the thin tympanic membrane tears, producing an alternative route for the pus to drain out. If This particular happens you may notice a discharge coming out of the ear. Don't become alarmed if This particular happens. The Centeng has rid itself of unwanted infected material along using a torn eardrum will usually heal by itself rather quickly.
nevertheless why do some children seem to have one ear infection after another along with others not. As mentioned above, the inflammation produced by a cold may ultimately lead to an ear infection. The more colds a child gets the higher the risk of frequent ear infections. Allergic reactions, especially to certain foods, are also associated with an increased incidence of ear infections. The top offender seems to be milk, along with dairy products in general. In addition to being a very common allergen, dairy also increases mucous production, generating bodily secretions thicker along with harder to drain away. some other commonly associated allergens are wheat, as well as some other gluten-containing grains such as rye, oats along with barley. Eggs, corn, oranges along with nuts may also be suspect. Diets high in sugar along with fruit juices should also be looked at.
Two interesting studies have implicated both pacifiers along with second hand smoke. A Finnish study published inside the September, 2000 issue of the journal Pediatrics implicated pacifier use with an increased risk of ear infection in infants, as well as higher rates of tooth decay along with thrush. The study found that will children who used pacifiers continuously had 33% more ear infections than did those who never used them or used them only when falling asleep. A report on a Canadian study inside the February, 1998 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine showed that will children residing with two smoking parents were 85% more likely to suffer through frequent ear infections than those who lived in smoke-free homes.
Another possible influence are childhood vaccinations. Although there will be much controversy as to whether or not there will be a direct relationship, a significant Centeng of evidence suggests that will there may be. through a homeopathic point of view, though, there are certain categories (called constitutional types) of people who, due to inherited influences, are more susceptible to vaccine reactions.
Serious complications of middle ear infections are rare nevertheless can along with do occur. These include mastoiditis, an infection of the part of the skull bone just behind the ear, along with meningitis, an infection of the covering of the brain along with spinal cord. Symptoms of mastoiditis may include swelling, redness, pain along with tenderness inside the bony area behind the ear. Symptoms of meningitis are severe headache along with stiff neck. Vomiting, mental dullness along with mood modifications may also be involved. If evidence of either of these two complications are seen, a doctor should be consulted immediately. By far the most common complication of middle ear infections are the chronic ear problems that will often follow. Serous otitis media, commonly known as "glue ear," will be an accumulation of non-infectious fluid inside the middle ear. that will can cause problems with hearing as the fluid interferes with normal motion of the eardrum.
So currently that will we know what that will will be along with how that will got there, what should be done about that will? As will be evident through the opening paragraph of This particular article, conventional western medicine treats This particular problem with antibiotics. along with shouldn't they? This particular will be an infection, right? along with infections have to be treated with antibiotics, don't they? If not, who knows what could happen! This particular couldn't be further through the truth. The purpose of This particular article will be not to debate the pros along with cons of antibiotics. No one argues that will, used appropriately, they can save lives. nevertheless they have not been used properly. They have been over-prescribed along with wrongly prescribed. So much to ensure that will an article inside the brand-new York Times on June 13, 2000, reported that will "the entire world Health Organization, taking its first comprehensive look at drug-resistant diseases, concluded in a report released today that will the effectiveness of antibiotics had been so eroded globally that will some diseases that will were once easily treatable are currently often incurable. Misuse of antibiotics, including over prescribing, along with their use to enhance animal growth have made treating illnesses as diverse as ear infections, tuberculosis along with malaria much more difficult, said the report through the health agency, part of the United Nations."
A paper published inside the July 23, 1997 issue of the British Medical Journal reproached doctors for prescribing antibiotics routinely for ear infections in their pediatric patients. that will reported on an analysis of existing studies relating to such treatment along with concluded that will not only will be the practice a waste of time along with money, that will appears to be harmful. Antibiotics don't speed recovery (in fact, at least one previous study suggests that will they lead to more recurrences) along with promotes proliferation of stronger, drug-resistant bacteria. The British researchers estimate that will 97 percent of physicians routinely prescribe antibiotics for ear infections. An editorial inside the November 26, 1997 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the largest medical journal inside the entire world, citing This particular same study, encouraged physicians to stop all antibiotic use (except in very severe along with recurrent cases) just for This particular most commonly treated infection in childhood.
The RAND corporation's Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC), conducting research for the Agency for Healthcare Research along with Quality, discovered some interesting facts regarding the management of acute ear infections. They found that will nearly two-thirds of children with uncomplicated ear infections are free of pain along with fever within 24 hours of diagnosis without antibiotic treatment, along with that will over 80% recover completely within 1 to 7 days. 93% of children treated with antibiotics recover within that will same 1 to 7 days. The researchers also found that will the newer along with more costly antibiotics, such as cefaclor, cefixime, azithromycin, or clarithromycin, provided no additional benefit to children than amoxicillin. Amoxicillin caused fewer side effects than the some other antibiotics as well. The EPC also found no evidence that will short-duration (5 days or less) versus long-duration therapy (7-10 days) made a difference inside the clinical outcome for children over 2 years of age. More than 5 million cases of acute ear infections occur annually, costing about $3 billion. The report points out that will in some other countries otitis media will be not treated with drugs at the first sign of infection. Rather, in children over the age of 2 years, the norm will be to watch along with see how the infection progresses over the course of a few days. The report notes that will inside the Netherlands the rate of bacterial resistance will be only about 1%, compared with the US average of around 25%.
The conventional western medical treatment for children who develop chronic otitis media will be a surgical procedure called a tympanostomy. This particular involves the insertion of smaller tubes into the ear drum to drain away the fluid build up. The rationale behind This particular approach will be that will the reduced hearing caused by the condition may lead to long-term speech along with hearing problems, along with even behavioral along with intellectual impairments. What I often hear through parents will be that will they have been told their child will go deaf if the procedure will be not performed. Again, the current research does not bear This particular out. A study published This particular year (April 19, 2001) inside the brand-new England Journal of Medicine showed that will children with persistent otitis media who get the tubes inserted immediately do not show measurable improvements in developmental outcomes. along with This particular procedure will be, by no stretch of the imagination, without that will's risks. The editorial which accompanied the NEJM article stated that will "The tubes often lead to long-term anatomical modifications inside the tympanic membrane, especially tympanosclerosis [hardening of the ear drum,] retraction, along with modifications in mobility. What happens, for example, to hearing along with the mobility of the tympanic membrane in middle-aged persons who had tubes inserted in childhood?" Not to mention that will in any procedure requiring anesthesia, there will be always the possibility of death!
currently that will we have an understanding of what causes This particular all too common problem along with know how not to treat that will, let's talk about what to do. As with any illness, first along with foremost will be prevention. along with the best preventative for any infection will be a strong immune system. For infants along with smaller children, the best way to build their immune system will be breast feeding. Breast milk will be by far the most nutritious food for your child. For a more detailed discussion of This particular, along with for alternatives for women who cannot or will not nurse, I refer the reader to Sally Fallon's wonderful book, Nourishing Traditions, 1999, brand-new Trends Publishing, Washington, D.C. Of course, prevention also means avoiding the various risk factors already discussed, such as providing your child using a smoke-free living environment, limiting the use of pacifiers, identifying along with eliminating food allergies, limiting or removing sugar along with fruit juices through the diet. If your child has already taken antibiotics, the use of probiotics, or "friendly bacteria," will be essential. Antibiotics destroy not only the "bad germs," nevertheless also the not bad ones which reside in our gut. These bacteria are an important part of our Centeng's natural defense. A study published inside the January, 2001 issue of the British Medical Journal showed that will the addition of probiotics reduced both the number of recurrences of, along with complications through, otitis media.
currently, to the active treatment of acute otitis media. A well known alternative medicine practitioner along with columnist, Dr. Joseph Mercola, advocates putting a few drops of breast milk (your own or, if you're not lactating, someone else's) into the ear every few hours. He claims that will This particular will clear up most ear infections within 24-48 hours. While the thought of clearing up a case of otitis media in one to two days using only breast milk may sound great, for me This particular will be still way too long for a child to suffer. The well selected homeopathic remedy will act gently along with very quickly, often within minutes (see cases below.) nevertheless there are so many homeopathic remedies that will are useful in treating ear infections. In fact, a search in my repertory (the book homeopaths use which list all symptoms along with which remedies are associated with them) under ear pain shows 326 remedies, 114 specifically under middle ear pain along with another 65 under inflammation of the middle ear. Obviously then, different remedies are needed to treat the same symptoms in different people. For the average person, choosing the right remedy through This particular list can seem a daunting task. An important point to understand will be that will homeopathic remedies should be taken one at a time. Taking several remedies at once (as will be found in combination remedies sold in stores just for This particular ailment or that will) can be confusing to the Centeng along with will be not recommended. If you don't know what remedy to take that will will be better to consult with an experienced homeopath, who will know how to elicit the necessary information in order to make an appropriate remedy choice. If your child has already been prescribed a constitutional remedy (a remedy which covers your general constitution along with not just the symptoms of a particular illness) that will will be you first along with best remedy choice in any acute situation, earache or otherwise. For chronic problems, including chronic otitis, a constitutional remedy becomes a necessity. However, that will has been my experience that will for most cases of acute, uncomplicated middle ear infections, just remember "ABC." "ABC" stands for the homeopathic remedies aconitum, belladonna along with chamomilla. Following will be a brief description of each.
Fear along with anxiety are the main feature of aconitum. The aconitum earache will be notable for that will's sudden onset, often being brought on by exposure to the elements, especially a cold, dry wind. The pain will be intense along with there may be a high fever. The child will be restless along with thirsty, along with the ear may appear bright red.
The belladonna earache has severe pain. The ear will be red, hot along with throbbing, as will be the eardrum, as seen with an otoscope. More often than not, the belladonna earache will be right-sided along with worse at night. These may be brought on by modifications in temperature, with the child getting chilled or becoming overheated.
With the chamomilla type earache, the pain seems unbearable in a child who will be already the oversensitive type, especially to pain. The child who will respond well to chamomilla will be quite irritable along with seemingly inconsolable, except when held or carried.
D.W., a 2 year old girl, could be heard screaming inside the background of the message her mother left on my answering machine. "She's got a terrible ear ache. She keeps tugging at her ear. I don't know what to give her." (The mother, a patient of mine, had a well supplied homeopathic medicine kit.) "Oh, we're supposed to leave for vacation in 15 minutes." When I returned the call a few minutes later I got their machine. Hoping they hadn't left yet I asked several questions. A few minutes later there was another message back with the answers. "Right ear, red along with hot to the touch." I called back, only to get the answering machine again. A very frustrating game of phone tag. "Belladonna," I said. About an hour later I received a call, This particular time through your vehicle phone. There was silence inside the background. "I gave her the belladonna just before we got into your vehicle. Within a few minutes she stopped crying along with the redness along with heat left her ear. She's been sleeping ever since."
A.B., a 3 year old boy was brought in by his parents. He had a persistent ear infection in both ears. He had already been on three different antibiotics. A ear specialist put him on steroids, nevertheless still the tympanogram ( a devise that will measures the mobility of the ear drum) showed little improvement. The specialist suggested "the tubes." On examination his left ear drum was looking not too bad, the right was red along with bulging through behind with fluid. A homeopathic consultation using a child This particular young not only requires finding out as much as possible about the child, nevertheless also about the parents. I prescribed chamomilla ( which seemed to be his constitutional type) in a liquid potency to be given on a daily basis, along with some probiotic products. I also performed a special cranial procedure to open the eustachian tubes along with help the built up fluid to drain out of the middle ear. He was symptom free by the next morning. When I saw him a few days later both ears were perfectly clear, with no redness or sign of fluid at all. A follow-up tympanogram by the specialist a few days later was normal.
Homeopathy along with Childhood Ear Infections
Think "ABC"
by Stuart H. Garber, D.C., Ph.D.
Ear Infections along with Homeopathy
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