Childhood ear infections is a common problem that is usually treated with a course of antibiotics and but there is a new and exciting alternative treatment that is drug free and effective
(PRWEB) February 27, 2006 -- Manhattan pediatric chiropractic specialist Dr. Steven Shoshany claims that there is a safe and natural treatment for ear infections. If the spine is adjusted for alignment, fluid in the ear can properly drain, he says, adding: "This procedure is gentle, effective, and kids actually enjoy it."
If your child hasn't had an ear infection by his/her second birthday, you can consider yourself lucky. Statistics show that by age two, 43 percent of kids will have had at least one ear infection, with the numbers climbing as high as 75 percent by the time children turn four. Though ear infections (otitis media) are common, they can be dangerous. If not properly treated, ear infections may result in hearing loss or language impairment.
Improper spinal alignment can cause pressure on nerves and interfere with messages sent from the brain to muscles throughout the body. "When we adjust the neck, the muscles that may have been blocking fluids are able to function properly," says Dr. Shoshany. "When fluids drain, the warm environment for bacteria is removed and the infection clears."
Most children he treats with this kind of adjustment are diagnosed with otitis media and referred by their pediatrician. Dr. Shoshany takes a detailed history of the child's birth to find out if there was any trauma that may have resulted in spinal misalignment. "Even the most natural of births can cause strain to the developing spine. Initial damage can be made worse when the infant is learning to sit up, crawl, and walk. Often immediate symptoms of spinal trauma are not apparent," Dr. Shoshany explains.
After the birth history has been taken, the condition of the spine is analyzed by a non-invasive procedure called a surface EMG. Two metal discs are placed on the patient's spine to measure muscle activity and heat coming from the body. If the activity on both sides of the body is not equal it shows that a structural imbalance exists. A computer analyzes the data and allows the patient as well as the chiropractor to observe changes as vertebra are returned to their natural position. Following the EMG, a chiropractic analysis is done to observe the movements and reflexes of the child. The final step is realignment of the spine. "This is done with gentle pressure," explains Shoshany. "and is extremely safe."
Dr. Shoshany has treated thousands of children, from newborns up, in the ten years he's been in practice. Kids usually come back for five or six adjustments depending on how chronic their ear infections are. While initial visits are normally covered by health insurance, long-term treatment may require out-of-pocket expenses. Sessions cost approximately $60.00 each.
This treatment appears to have several advantages over antibiotics such as amoxicillin, which is the most common treatment for ear infections. "Antibiotics target bacteria. Since 10% to 20% of ear infections are viral, antibiotics are ineffective in many cases," says Dr. Shoshany. "Furthermore there are numerous side effects associated with antibiotics including hives, nausea, and shortness of breath."
Perhaps the most serious risk associated with antibiotics is the one that is finally coming to notice - children can become resistant. If this happens the antibiotic will be completely ineffective in further treating the child. "We have to stop overmedicating children and use antibiotics only when absolutely necessary," says Dr. Shoshany, echoing a sentiment now common throughout the medical profession. "It is possible that more ear infections in this decade may be due to antibiotic overuse in the past."
Since such chiropractic treatment for ear infections is natural, it may seem an ideal option, but there are skeptics. "The effectiveness of the procedure would be extremely difficult to prove for several reasons," says Dr. Ilene Fennoy, a pediatric endocrinologist at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital. "In the first place, since no cultures are done to diagnose ear infections, any claim by a doctor that it is otitis media is subjective and possibly wrong. Also infections, to a certain degree, clear spontaneously. It is possible that the kid would have gotten better anyway without chiropractic care."
Despite the criticism, Dr. Shoshany's patients remain convinced that the chiropractic method does work. "There were immediate results," says one father whose son first went to Dr. Shoshany before he was a year old. "He was getting ear infections every time he got a new tooth and antibiotics didn't prevent new ones. After the chiropractic adjustments, he didn't get any. Something tells me it worked."
Please refer further details to http://www.drshoshany.com
Sidebar:
To help prevent your child from getting ear infections:
- If possible, keep your child away from kids with colds. Colds cause infections and are highly contagious.
- Don't expose your child to second hand smoke. Tobacco smoke can irritate the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the nose and is important in the proper drainage of fluids from the ear.
- Breastfeed your baby. Breast milk contains protective antibodies that help fight disease. If you do bottle-feed, make sure you do so while baby is in an upright position. Milk drips into the Eustachian tube and irritates it while a baby is lying down.
Dr. Steven Shoshany treats children of all ages and has post graduate training in pediatrics.
###
|
