Ears
Ear infections in children
Young children are very often plagued with ear infections as their Eustachian tubes are comparatively small. Many times this continues into their teen years. Ear infections can keep the ear canal from draining properly and can result in moisture collecting near the tympanic membrane (eardrum).
The common practice of most family doctors is to introduce a regimen of oral, systemic antibiotics. Many times this is the first time that children are prescribed antibiotics. However, this systemic antibiotic treatment is an oral dosing and the result is the antibiotic is distributed throughout the entire body, although it is only needed to treat the small local infection in the ear canal.
This is the wrong antimicrobial and it does not effectively target the right location of the infection. The result is that the entire body is adversely and unnecessarily affected by the antibiotic when the problem is localized to the ear canal. While this generally proves effective in one or two days, the systemic impact of a four to five day course of antibiotics on a small child can be problematic and negative both near-term and long-term.
Wrong antimicrobial for fungal-bacterial infection
It is important to understand and appreciate why we believe that antibiotics are the wrong antimicrobial to consider since there are better proven natural and organic treatments with fewer side effects.
Ear infections are usually caused by a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and bacteria.
The moist inner ear is the perfect habitat for fungus. The fungus grows on the surface of the tissues. Bacteria that are picked up (usually from a water environment) settle into the colony of fungus. The fungus break down starch in the area into sugars and the bacteria feed on the sugars.
The fungus forms an insulating layer between the bacteria and the body and so the antibiotics (which are coursing through the blood in the entire body) have a very difficult time reaching the bacteria in order to kill them. The layer of fungus gets in the way.
Further compounding this problem is the fact that antibiotics don’t kill fungus. In fact, they don’t harm them at all. The bottom line is that oral antibiotics traveling through the child’s entire body have a hard time reaching the bacteria that they can kill in the ear and don’t do anything to kill the fungus.
Even if some of the bacteria are finally killed with the antibiotics, the fungus still remains in place shielding the bacteria that has not been effectively targeted or killed. The surviving bacteria will generally cause the infection to return again when the child is exposed to a wet environment such as a pool or lake.
Until both the bacteria and the fungus are properly treated, the infection will return and the blood borne antibiotics are a temporary solution at best. Parents too often complain that their child’s ear infections return and antibiotics are again re-introduced as a solution that does not completely solve the problem and does not directly target the infection.
Their next step too often is to allow the doctor to cut holes in their child’s eardrums so that they can more effectively drain and dry enough to finally kill the fungus. Fortunately, there is a better way that is both safer and more effective.
Correct solution to ear infections
Instead of giving the antimicrobial orally for a condition that is localized to the ear canal, we believe that the active agent should be put directly into the ear.
Furthermore, the active agent must be one that can kill both the fungus and the bacteria. This is the only treatment that both makes sense and is most effective.
An enhanced aqueous silver colloid of sufficient concentration (greater than 30 ppm) can be administered directly into the ears.
Since silver colloids take some time to kill, it is a good idea to have the child lay on their side and read or watch TV. When the child is still, place a dropperful into the ear and let it sit there for 20 minutes.
If the infection is in both ears, after the solutions has settled in the first ear (20 minutes), roll the child over onto the other side and repeat the treatment in the other ear.
This usually only needs to be done twice in both ears in separate treatments a couple of hours apart. When completed, dry the ears gently with a hair dryer on the lowest heat setting. This is simple and not dangerous or painful.
By using this procedure of treatment, you are addressing the whole problem (killing both the bacteria and fungus) in a more effective manner that places the active agent directly into the infected area.
The active agent that we suggest for use is Nature’s Rite Digestive and Urinary Tonic. You can also use Nature’s Rite Sinus Relief or Super Neti Juice. These are both just as effective.
In fact, the dropper that comes in the Super Neti Juice is an excellent means of administering the colloid directly and safely into the ear.
Keeping the ears free from wax buildup with a wax dissolving kit is also suggested as an excellent prophylactic measure. Clean ears are healthy ears, especially in young children.