Doctor, is there anything chiropractic can do for bed-wetting?" This is a question parents sometimes ask of their chiropractor. Usually this question is asked when other methods of treatment have been tried and found ineffective.
One of the most common causes of bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) is bladder innervation disorder. This is an area that a Doctor of Chiropractic can be of help. Chiropractic research has shown that bedwetting has been resolved when nerve interferences (Vertebral Subluxations) are corrected.
Several studies published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics showed marked improvement in children with this problem over children who did not receive chiropractic care.
In one study, 171 children suffering with enuresis averaged 7 nights of bed wetting per week prior to the study. After the children were given some initial chiropractic care the average child reduced the number of "wet" nights to 4 nights per week. A full 25% of the children receiving chiropractic showed a 50% reduction in wet nights.
In another study, 46 primary enuretic children were studied. Of this group 31 were placed under chiropractic care while 15 were in the control group and did not receive any chiropractic care. The results of this study showed a 17.9% decrease in wet nights for the chiropractic group. Over the same period of time no change was noted for the control group who did not receive any chiropractic care. Improvements were observed immediately after the first adjustment and remained stable thereafter.
Colic is defined as an unexplainable and uncontrollable crying in babies from 0 to 3 months old, more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week, for 3 weeks or more, usually in the afternoon and evening hours. The incidence is thought to be about 22.5%. New parents get very frustrated by having to deal with a child that is suffering from colic. A typical comment from a medical physician is: "if it is colic, it would run its course in three months." Recent studies show that chiropractic care may be useful in managing the situation.
In a research study by Mercer and Cook, they took thirty infants who had been diagnosed medically with colic and randomly divided then into two groups. One group received chiropractic care while the other group did not. All infants in this study were newborn to 8 weeks old and had been diagnosed with colic by a pediatrician. The infants in the chiropractic group received care for a two-week period with a maximum of six adjustments (spinal adjusting). In the group that received chiropractic care, there was complete resolution of symptoms in 93% of the infants within the two-week period. Not to our surprise, a follow-up survey performed one month later showed none of the infants had experienced a reoccurrence of problems from colic.
Another study in Denmark, involved 50 infants diagnosed with infantile colic. Half of the group was given the drug dimethicon while the other half was given chiropractic care. In this study, nine of the 25 taking the drug dropped out of the study because the infants were getting worse. These infants were then not counted in the final results which would have shown a worse result for the drug than published. After 4 to 7 days into the study, the infants remaining in the drug group had reduced their hours of crying by only one hour while the entire chiropractic group had reduced crying hours by an average of 2.4 hours. After 8 to 10 days, the study continued to show the drug therapy infants at a one hour improvement while the chiropractic group further improved to 2.7 hours less of crying. The researchers noted that the removal from the study of the infants that got worse from the drug made the results from the drug look better than they actually were.
If the misalignments, called vertebral subluxations, are big enough, the functioning of major systems in the body can be compromised. The digestive system can be affected and ineffective digestion of breast milk and formula can cause major discomfort in your baby, leading to colic episodes.
"My pediatrician prescribes antibiotics for ear infections, but my child still has recurrences." This frequently heard remark is stated by many parents each day. Commonly, parents accept acute otitis media as a normal part of a young child's life. The truth, however, is that although common, there is nothing normal about it. Research shows that children may get ear infections as a result of improper drainage of the deep neck lymphatics. This causes fluid buildup, an inflamed and bulging ear drum, and a welcome habitat for bacteria.
The preferred medical treatment today is a prescription of oral antibiotics, most commonly, Amoxicillin. However, a Journal of the American Medical Association study concluded that children who took Amoxicillin for chronic ear infections were two to six times more likely to have a recurrence of their ear problem than those who received a sugar pill. Lead author Erden Cantekin Ph.D. (Professor of otolaryngology) said "children are being abused by the antibiotic treatment in this country."
Drug resistant strains of childhood ear infections are rapidly increasing. Health officials say the trend is closely linked to doctors' misuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and patients’ mistaken belief that antibiotics are a "magic bullet" for all that ails them. Up to half of the 110 million antibiotic prescriptions written annually by private practitioners may be inappropriate for the illness being treated, reported the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Alexander Tomasz, a Rockefeller University microbiology professor, reported "There's vast overuse of antibiotics. It's completely crazy." (4/94 New England Journal of Medicine).
New Federal Government guidelines recommend giving nature a chance with ear infections. Dr. Alfred Berg, co-chair of the Federal Panel of Expenses, said that in most cases the condition disappears within 3-6 months without medical treatment. Dr. Berg said antibiotics frequently used in the past, are of very limited value in treating the condition. Dr. Berg also said that antibiotics can cause side effects and lead to the development of drug-resistant bacteria that can cause a more serious disease. Antibiotics are not the preferred option in the early stages of the condition.
Dr. Michael Poole, a professor of otolaryngology and pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical branch in Houston, emphasized that most infants and young children with acute otitis media don't need antibiotics at all.
"Ongoing studies at the University of Pittsburgh suggest that only about one out of seven children with otitis media should receive a prescription for an antibiotic. The disease usually gets well on its own." Your pediatrician may be lacking knowledge on current health trends and research. Because he/she prescribes an antibiotic, doesn't mean you have to fill the prescription.
Your child's health needs to come first. There are numerous reasons for red ears other than bacteria manifestation. Your family chiropractor can share these reasons with you. Instead of treatment designed to kill the bacteria or virus, a more natural approach is to restore nervous system function which results in normal drainage of the ears and lymphatics.
Progressive parents are turning to their Family Chiropractor for this solution. The Doctor of Chiropractic specializes in restoring normal function to the spine and nervous system which may reduce or eliminate the tense neck musculature which is responsible for preventing normal fluid drainage. Once this interference is removed, the excess fluid in the ear drains, the appealing environment that causes bacteria and viruses to thrive is removed, and the infection can heal.
After normal drainage has been properly restored, the recurrence of ear infection is greatly reduced or nonexistent. The chiropractic approach to health care is safer, natural, and more effective. In light of these facts your Chiropractor may be the best doctor to help your child!