Osteopāts Rīga

Ear infections and sinusitis

Many children develop chronic fluid accumulation in the middle ear making the child prone to recurrent ear infections and potentially causing minor hearing loss and sometimes even speech development problems.

There are many reasons for the prevalence of this medical problem. Due to the immaturity of the immune systems young children have frequent colds. Ear infections can follow as a complication. For instance after undergoing orthodontic correction some previously healthy children begin to have ear infections.

Some children have dairy or other nutritional sensitivities which contribute to the frequency or severity of infections. But the most common factor is early childhood trauma to the head, occurring either in the birth process or in early childhood injuries.

The presence of fluid in the middle ear offers a perfect environment for the growth of the organism which causes ear infections.

The standard medical approach is to treat ear infections with antibiotics. The prolonged usage of antibiotics often can misbalance the natural level of the essential intestinal bacterial flora. Antibiotics can also have side effects like bloating, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. Ventilating tubes are surgically placed in the Eustachian tube when infections or hearing loss persist.

The Osteopathic approach is to correct the cranial restrictions which are causing fluid retention and impeding fluid drainage. Children who suffer from recurrent ear infections often require weekly osteopathic treatment between four and eight times. The duration and specific types of manipulation vary with each individual child. Follow-up treatment on a periodic basis may be needed to maintain appropriate motion of the cranial mechanism. Osteopathic manipulative treatment addresses the underlying cause of chronic ear infections.

When the structural restrictions caused by these traumas are resolved by Osteopathic treatment, the vast majority of children have significantly reduced symptoms of infection and noticeable improvement in hearing.

Dr Steggerda had done scientific research on Osteopathic treatment of chronic ear infection. The results have been published in the Russian Osteopathic Journal.

M.D. D.O. Olga Steggerda Private osteopathic practice