Ear infections.

At 9 months old my daughter Lauren was being prescribed her 10^th antibiotic in an attempt to eliminate her chronic ear infections and was 85% deaf in one ear and 100% in the other, she had already endured one surgery to place tubes in her ears only to have pus and blood force both of the tubes out with her next ear infection.  The tubes helped her regain her normal hearing by allowing the “long term” build-up to drain but did nothing to stop the ear infections.

By 9 months old, our daughter required holding nearly all of the time or she would scream.  If we set her on the floor she would scream, go for a ride in the car, more screaming, and stroller rides ended the same way.  In passing I mentioned this to a coworker and we began to discuss the situation, at which point she recommended that I go see a Chiropractor that she was seeing that “specializes in pregnant women and children” as she put it.  So, during her next appointment she mentioned our situation to Dr. Nancy and she was certain she could help.  At this point we were desperate for relief for our precious angel, as well as some relief for us.  I’ll admit I was a little skeptical because I couldn’t understand how a Chiropractor could cure an ear infection but my wife and I discussed it and we were willing to try it.

So, after a crying ride to Dr. Nancy’s office we went through all of the normal procedures that new patients go through and went back to see Nancy.  She completed some hands on examinations of Lauren’s neck and back and also completed a “rolling thermal scan” of her back and neck.  After these examinations she determined that Lauren’s “C1 or Atlas” (the topmost cervical vertebra that supports the skull) was shifted badly to one side which in turn was causing the muscles in her neck (around her ears) to be extremely tight and would not allow her ears to drain.  So regardless of how many antibiotics and surgeries she was given, her ears were staying moist which in turn was keeping them infected.

So here is the part that still blows my mind when I talk about it today, Dr. Nancy adjusted Lauren’s neck (only one side the first visit) and sent us on our way.  So on our way home we were really expecting business as usual and were prepared for the screaming and crying ride home, however, Lauren never made a peep and was sleeping soundly before we reached home.  When we got her out of the car she had fluid draining from her ear and running all the way down her neck.  So we decided to try a stroller ride and were certain that the screaming would surface during our ride, but it never came.  We made it all of the way around the block with Lauren just kicking her legs and watching the world go by.  By this time my wife and I were starting to do the “NO WAY” thing.  We decided that we would try one last test and that was to put her on the floor in the house in front of her toys and to leave the room, well she just sat there and played with her toys and never even looked as though she was going to get upset.  We were in awe.  We were shocked, elated, emotional, angry at the “doctors” who kept pumping her full of antibiotics and suggesting surgeries, and a whole host of other emotions as well.

We continued taking Lauren to see Dr. Nancy as frequently as she recommended until she was finally ear infection free and in no need of further adjustment.  Well a couple months went by and she began rubbing at her ear and having trouble staying asleep at which time we decided she had an ear infection.  So what did we do?  We took her to the Doctor of course.  Just a knee jerk reaction that you get used to as parents and sure enough she had an ear infection.  So the Doctor prescribes an antibiotic of course, at which time I mentioned our trips to the Chiropractor for Lauren’s ears and I was told by the Doctor, “Chiropractors are not qualified to diagnose an ear infection and they certainly can’t offer any treatment that would offer relief for an ear infection.”  So I took that opportunity to tell the “Doctor” exactly what he and his colleagues were able to do by prescribing 9 antibiotics for my daughter in 9 months, which was render her almost completely deaf, operate on her to insert tubes in her ears that would prove to be no help whatsoever, turn her teeth an odd color with black spots from all of the antibiotics, wipe out her immune system and subject her to countless illnesses to go along with the ear infections, and generally keep her, my wife, our other daughter and myself miserable for 9 solid months.  Than I told him what the Chiropractor was able to do for her with ONE adjustment of her neck.  He did not know what to say and we left his office without him saying another word.  We called Dr. Nancy, she told us to come over right away and she would fit us in, she adjusted Lauren’s neck and by the time we got home she had the same fluid running down her neck and after a few adjustments the ear infection was gone.

So, we take Lauren to see Dr. Nancy at least once a month and she no longer has ear infections.  On rare occasion Lauren’s ear will start to get a little sore and she will rub her ear and say, “I want to go see Dr. Nancy so she can pop my neck.”  It appears that she is fully aware of what the right thing is to do when her ear starts to hurt and we certainly won’t be going to any more Pediatricians for ear infections.

Thank you Dr. Nancy, you have been a huge blessing for our family and God only knows what we would have gone through with our little angel if we hadn’t stepped outside our comfort zone and made that first visit to your office.

Ryan