Dr. Leia Discusses Ear Tubes in Children

My two year old son has had a problem with fluid in his ears. He had fluid for about six months and then had a couple of months with no fluid. Within the past two months the fluid has returned, and he has had three ear infections. Surgery for tubes has been scheduled. We had been taking him to a chiropractor regularly the few months that he was fluid free, but did not keep up with it. Is it still possible to avoid surgery with chiropractic care and garlic oil or is it to late?

Dear Kacee, As you know, we are unable to diagnose a specific individual condition over the internet, so I would advise you to return to your chiropractor and ask him or her if it is possible to assist your son again. Ask your chiropractor about homeopathy for your child's condition or a referral to someone who knows homeopathic medicine and has had experience with children and ear problems. Also, make sure that you monitor your son's diet and remove all of the highly allergenic foods which I mentioned above: wheat, corn, soy, peanuts, and all dairy products including milk, butter, ice cream etc. Good luck.

Dr. Leia, I have heard that you can put drops of warm garlic oil in the ear and a cotton ball lightly over the top to relieve the pain from an earache. Is this a safe treatment?

I was wondering if it is true that blowing your nose very hard when you have an ear infection is bad for you? I also wondered if it would be OK to go swimming with my friends when I have an ear infection?

Dear Trish, Garlic oil is an old fashion remedy for earaches and ear problems and has been used for centuries. The usual oil base recommended is olive oil and the garlic is supposed to act as an antibacterial agent. Never use garlic chunks in the ear canal, only the pressed garlic oil diluted with olive oil. The pressed garlic needs to be mixed with olive oil so that it will not burn the ear canal. Never use water as a base or mix the garlic with water. Commercially made garlic oil remedies are available over the counter at most health food stores. However, I do not recommend self-care with this procedure without first a visit to your child's medical practitioner to find out the "cause" of the problem in case the situation is more serious. Also, if the condition persists for any prolonged length of time, it could result in damage to your hearing or inner structures of the ear, depending upon the cause. Healthy ears have a small amount of wax which help to keep debris out of the ear and to trap bacteria from entering the canal.

Dear Denise, Blowing your nose hard at any time is not recommended because it can force the mucous deeper into the sinuses and may cause impaction or hardening of the mucous in the deeper recesses of the sinuses. The sinuses are a wonderful breeding ground for bacteria, viruses etc., because there are all sorts of nooks and crannies located deep within the spaces, making it harder to reach and eradicate the infection. There is a direct connection between the ears and the nasal passages so blowing your nose hard is not recommended at any time. It is not recommended that you go swimming when you have an ear infection. Water in the ear canal can exacerbate an infection. It is best to keep your ears dry at all times during an ear infection and to prevent infections.

My daughter had ear tubes surgery 2 years ago. Now one of the tubes has come off. The doctor has scheduled surgery removal of the other ear tube for March. Is this really necessary? How long can one wait for the ear tubes to come off? She is going to be 7 years old in March Thank you!

Dear Adriana, The ear tubes generally stay in from anywhere from six to twelve months after the surgery before falling out on their own, but it depends upon the type of ear tubes used and the surgery. The tubes fall out as the child's canal grows larger and infections are no longer a problem. Two years seems like an excessive amount of time for the tubes to remain in, so follow the recommendations of your surgeon because he/she would know best depending upon your situation. I hope this helps.

My 7.5 year old son had ear tubes put in twice. Once when he was 8 mos. and the second time when he was I believe 1.5 years as the first set fell out too soon. The ear tubes were a lifesaver preventing all the reoccurring ear infections he had as an infant and toddler. However, my concern exists now because one of his ear tubes have not fallen out. Our ENT checks it regularly, every six months, to critique the status of it. He will not "pull" it out because he has stated that there could be complications such as creating a hole in his ear. I am concerned about the effects of surgically removing it on his overall hearing. I am also concerned about the effects of just leaving it in. Either direction, left or right, poses a risk. What are your recommendations? I don't want to let too much time pass again. Our next check up is 4/16/09. I appreciate your input.

Dear Heather B., Six years seems like an excessive amount of time for an ear tube to be in a child's ear. You should listen to your doctor and abide by his advice. It is difficult to advise you over the internet in absentia. You might want to get a second or third opinion from other EENT specialists in your area. Good luck and let us know what transpires.

Hello, Just wondering if you have any experience with this, as the MDs around here aren't being all that helpful. I do have ETD, results of scuba diving, no ear perforation. They recommend nasal steroids and Sudafed but it isn't making a difference. I cannot find any holistic methods for dealing with this. Do you know of any? Any direction would be helpful.

Hi Bridget, unfortunately, one of the hazards of scuba diving involves Eustachian tube disorders. The Eustachian tube is a canal which connects the middle ear to the nose and throat, and is responsible for keeping the air pressure between the inner ear and outer surroundings equalized. If you experienced faulty decompression techniques during ascending and descending during scuba, then Eustachian tube problems will occur as a consequence. There are several different formulations of natural decongestants available at the health food stores, but they may not be strong enough, but may be used in place of Sudafed. You might want to try Acupunture and see if this will give you some relief or help the situation. A licensed Acupuncturist will insert thin needles into the area around the ear and at distal points on other parts of the body. This will allow the body's energy meridians to redirect the flow of Qi throughout the channels of the body and to assist the body to come back into balance. Good luck in your search for an experienced Acupuncturist.