Ear Infections
Does your child suffer recurrent ear infections?
Chinese Medicine and Diet can fix this problem
When I was in China, one of the old professors asked me what was one of the top problems seen in children here in Australia. I told him many kids suffer from recurrent ear infections. He looked very surprised and then asked what was the treatment of choice to treat it. I told him “Antibiotics” then “Grommets”. He looked at me horrified. Why don’t people use Chinese medicine to help firstly, he asked. People don’t know about it, I told him.
He told me that in China, ear infections are rarely heard of. He told me that it is because of our diet. I already knew this, but listened anyway. I told him that many doctors tried to convince parent to use grommets saying that the ear canal is small etc. He said Chinese Kids have the same ear canals as our kids. No different in size. The only difference between Chinese kids and Aussie kids, is again, diet. Australian children are given too many sweet biscuits, cold foods, cheese, sweet drinks and fruit juices. A lot of sugar, which ruins the digestion. I have to admit. It is true
According to Chinese Medicine, there is an internal pathway or connection between the stomach and intestines and the ear. If stagnant food accumulates in the stomach it gives rise to transformative heat that then flushes up over this pathway from the intestines to the inner ear. Also phlegm or fluids are produced from the poor digestion that clogs the ear too.
In western medicine, we treat ear infections with antibiotics. While they are a necessity sometimes, they are often given all to quickly without signs of infection, or without using other methods first. The antibiotics while temporarily treating the problem, wipe out all the good bacteria in the gut, only to weaken the digestion further. The weakened gut then causes food stagnation then the cycle starts again. Children’s guts are weak enough in the first place. Let me say that I am not against antibiotics and neither are the professors, because of our medical training, as they do save lives. But, they are given all too frequently and are now causing major problems because of this. Only use antibiotics after all has failed and as a last resource.
The good news is Chinese medicine is very effective for both earaches as well as preventing recurrent earaches. We give certain formulas that strengthen the gut, clear the fluids and help food stagnation, and clear heat from inflammation. Laser acupuncture (painless no needles) is also combined to help the overall complaint and can be used on its own to treat ear complaints. Because ear complaints are connected to the digestive process, then the diet needs to be tightened (see our article on the root of all childhood illness). It is absolutely vital that they be given a clear bland diet. No giving in!
Without a clear bland diet there is not much chance of a consistent cure. This means limited dairy products, like cheese or yoghurt, no greasy-fatty foods, no sugars (big one), no sweet biscuits, or frozen foods such as ice cream and definitely cut down, or cut out bread. Low GI is the key to happy healthy children. All fruits should be at room temp and all vegies steamed.