Key messages
The process of producing pain
Once the body thinks it is in danger… the acute phase
When the brain takes over in an over-stimulation response …the chronic phase
This information has been adapted from Moseley and Butler's book “Explain Pain”
What do I look out for? Not all children present with the “glue” in their ears that is commonly associated with glue ear. The “glue” can build up inside the ear creating pressure on the ear drum. Some common signs of glue ear are
How can osteopathy help?
Osteopathic treatment can help encourage drainage of the build-up of fluid from the middle. Using gentle hands on treatments the osteopath may choose to work on your child’s head, neck, abdomen or lower body. All techniques used will be to encourage drainage through lymphatic pathways. Research shows that children who have been prescribed antibiotics and or have grommets have fewer repeat episodes of glue ear when osteopathic treatment is also administered (1); therefore potentially reducing the amount of antibiotics your child need to take. Recent research regarding the experience of osteopathy for glue ear highlights some of the experiences parents had when their child was being treated by an osteopath (2). I thought, "Oh, he is never gonna lay still for this guy." So I got his favourite blanket, and sit him up. He was about three or four months or five months old. Somewhere in between that time. And I laid him on the little bed and then the osteopath just put his hands on him and Joe* just went... And that was just it. He instantly stopped. I'll never forget it, he instantly stopped. And he just relaxed over about a period of a few minutes. He just relaxed. God, it was amazing. Amazing. It was amazing. When the hands are on his head, he used to just go... He seems to be like floating. So Joe asked me to go there a couple of times to the osteopath. I trusted the osteopath, I really trusted the type of treatment, and because we could see results and it was all being explained to us, it was great. *names have been changed to protect privacy. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have questions about glue ear or if you think osteopathy could benefit your child. 1. Steele KM, Carreiro JE, Haug VJ, Conte JA, Ridpath LC. Effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment on middle ear effusion following acute otitis media in young children: A pilot study. The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. 2014;114(6):436-46. 2. McCulloch JM. Do you hear me? The caregivers experience of osteopathy for their child's otitis media Unitec Institue of Technology 2017. |
Jane McCulloch
Jane is passionate about sharing her knowledge and experiences through writing. Please read and enjoy! ArchivesCategories |