Are you the parent of a child who gets repeated ear infections? Are these infections so bad that you and your child repeatedly resort to using antibiotics, or are considering having an ear tube surgically placed in your child’s ear? Are you ready to be stop worrying every time your child has a sniffle or seems a little under the weather? I work with many parents who feel helpless to protect their child from the pain of ear infections and are frustrated and concerned with frequently using antibiotics or contemplating surgery. The good news is that acupuncture and herbal medicine can greatly reduce the likelihood and intensity of frequent ear infections.
Parents come to my clinic having tried many of the more common home remedies for ear infections, including massage around the jaw and head, hot poultices or packs over the ear, herbal immunity remedies, or garlic/mullein oil or hydrogen peroxide in the ear. While these approaches are sufficient for some children to thwart and resolve ear infections, for some children they are not sufficient.
Children who suffer from repeated ear infections despite massage and herbal intervention may have a systemic immune weakness or susceptibility to allergens that does not enable their body to fight off infections. Sometimes these children are predisposed towards being overly phlegmy, and these children may also be underweight or underdeveloped for their age.
Acupuncture and herbal medicine can address these underlying problems by strengthening the immune system, the digestive system, and the child’s root energy, which will result in fewer ear infections as well as an overall increase in strength and resilience. The treatment with acupressure and massage, often including some parental home care for the child, will improve kids’ immune systems. Parents often find that their children are getting sick much less frequently, and if illness does progress to ear infections, it resolves more rapidly than in past cases. Children who have sluggish or weak digestive systems or slow or delayed growth often begin to gain more weight and become more robust.
Lastly, Chinese herbal medicine has a wonderful formula for treating ear infections, known as Xiao Chai Hu Tang, or Minor Bupleurum Formula. This unique combination has antiviral, antiallergenic, and immuno-stimulant herbs. I provide parents with a supply of this formula that is safe to take as soon as the child is acting as though an illness may be coming on. This too will help avert oncoming infections.
If you’re curious to know more about how acupuncture and herbal therapy can support your child’s immune system and ear health, please give me a call. I look forward to hearing from you!
