What Are Chronic Ear Infections?
Ear infections are something we all experience at one time or another; they’re just a common part of flu and/or allergy season for many people. Children in particular are susceptible to ear infections, with more than 30 million children per year visiting a pediatrician for ear infection treatment.
Ear infections are painful, but more importantly, they pose some serious health risks. This is especially true in the case of chronic ear infections, or infections that are hard to heal or keep returning. In time, chronic ear infections can cause permanent ear problems and damage your hearing.
Signs and Symptoms of Chronic Ear Infections
Ear pain is common with chronic ear infections. Pain may range from mild and achy to severe and sharp. You may notice pressure in the ear, or the ear may be discharging fluid. The ear may itch or feel irritated—a telltale sign of ear infections in children too young to talk is tugging, scratching, and fidgeting with the ear.
Ear infections may be accompanied by fever, fatigue, or poor appetite. In more serious cases, infections can lead to balance problems or vertigo. In extreme cases, hearing loss is a possibility.
If you’re suffering from chronic ear infections and the usual treatments are failing, it is probably because the underlying issue is going unnoticed.
How the Upper Cervical Spine Affects Chronic Ear Infections
Most of the time, your body has natural defenses against ear infections. The immune system will kick in to fight off any virus or bacteria. Your doctor can help even further by offering a prescription or course of treatment to combat the infection.
Sometimes the viral or bacterial infection is not the cause of chronic ear infections; they’re a symptom. Several tiny vessles in the ear, known as eustachian tubes, allow fluid to drain. When these tubes become blocked or compressed, fluid will build up, causing that feeling of pressure. This trapped fluid is the perfect environment for bacteria or viruses to multiply and cause infections.
The eustachian tubes are close to the upper cervical spine, the vertebrae that run from the base of the skull and down the neck. If the spine is even slightly misaligned, it may cause inflammation and soft tissue swelling that puts pressure on the narrow vessels, leading to chronic ear infections.
If a misalignment of the spine is the cause of your problem, the best way to treat it is to see an upper cervical specialist. This is the only way to prevent infections from reoccurring.
How We Treat Chronic Ear Infections
The upper cervical spine is a complex area, and misalignments can cause a host of health problems throughout the body. That is why we take upper cervical care seriously here at Los Angeles Upper Cervical.
Dr. Alex Bello is an upper cervical specialist who is a trained expert in the Blair Chiropractic Technique. This is a modern chiropractic technique that uses a much gentler touch combined with modern technology for the best possible results.
Dr. Bello uses state-of-the-art 3D imaging diagnostic tools to examine and calculate the spine, allowing him to get a much better picture of your anatomy than old-fashioned X-rays would. With these calculations, the doctor can then coax your spine gently back into proper alignment with minimal force. More precise corrections eliminate the guesswork and hold longer, offering patients a better chance at improving with fewer visits required.
When the upper cervical spine is corrected, the body’s healing processes can take over to reduce inflammation and alleviate any compression of the eustachian tubes. This allows the fluid in the ear to drain properly, reducing or eliminating chronic ear infections.
If you’re tired of the traditional treatments not solving your chronic ear infections, contact Dr. Bello to learn more about our safe, natural, drug-free, non-invasive treatment. Dr. Bello offers upper cervical chiropractic care to patients in Brentwood, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Culver City, Marina Del Rey, West Los Angeles, and the surrounding areas.