The Elizabethtown Chiropractor to see - Chiropractor Elizabethtown

Antibiotics Are Not Always the Answer!

Children's health issues image.

Your child is crying and pulling on his ear. You’re inclined to make an appointment with the doctor. After looking into the ear she tells you that the ear is red, with fluid present, and issues a diagnosis of “otitis media with effusion.” An antibiotic is recommended, “just in case it gets worse,” handing you a prescription for amoxicillin.

Do you go to the pharmacy for the prescription? Or wait and see?

If you’re concerned about the overuse of antibiotics, and you want to protect your child’s health, you have a dilemma. Keep in mind that the American Academy of Family Physicians agree that antibiotics should not be used to treat this type of ear infection. Yet, much of the worldwide overuse of antibiotics is due to ear infections. Physicians write millions of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions each year to treat this largely viral condition. Many, just to placate an insistent parent.

The fact is, there are many conditions antibiotics cannot treat:
  • Viruses – antibiotics have no effect on a virus
  • Pain – antibiotics cannot relieve or take away pain
  • Ear fluid – antibiotics cannot reduce fluid buildup

In his book, Beyond Antibiotics, Michael Schmidt, DC reports that Gottfried Gutmann, MD, a prominent researcher in the field of manipulative medicine, reported on the treatment of more than 1,000 infants and children using chiropractic adjustments instead of antibiotic treatment. Gutmann found that many common childhood ear, nose, throat and bronchial conditions respond better to chiropractic adjustments than to medications. Turns out, improving nervous system integrity using chiropractic care1 may allow the body to resolve these common childhood problems on their own.

If you have or know a child who experiences frequent childhood illness, a visit to our office could end the “merry-go-round” of antibiotic usage. We’ve been able to help many children. May we share our patient success stories with you?


1Additional research.

Dr. Eriksen Asks some important questions of interest to Elizabethtown residents - Chiropractor Elizabethtown Dr. Eriksen Asks...

Can someone who has had back surgery receive chiropractic care?
Yes. Rest assured that we will avoid the surgically modified areas of your spine. However, what we find is that surgical interventions will often produce spinal instability above or below the involved level. This is will be the focus of your chiropractic care.
What's the difference between sick care and health care?
Sick care is largely about relieving or suppressing symptoms. Health care is about improving performance. While sick care is about how you feel, health care is about how you function. Sick care is what you do to treat an obvious problem, and health care is what you do to avoid the problem and advance your well-being.