Ear Infections Don't Need Antibiotics

From Web M.D. , September 22, 2006
Most Kids Ear Infections Heal Without Antibiotics

"Ear infections are the most common reason for antibiotic use among U.S. children, with 15 million prescriptions written annually. Antibiotic resistance is a growing worldwide public health concern that has been spurred by the widespread overuse of the drugs. “In this country, 96 percent to 98 percent of physicians treat ear infections immediately with antibiotics, even though most cases will resolve on their own without treatment" - David M. Spiro, MD, MPH tells Web M.D.

Barbara Loe Fisher Commentary:

For the past 50 years, medical doctors have insisted that parents give their children antibiotics to "treat" everything from the common cold and ear infections to the flu and pneumonia. When in doubt, hand the antibiotics out was the philosophy of most pediatricians who saw young children in their practices. Now, we learn that when the immune system of a child with an ear infection is left alone to naturally participate in the healing process that follows an acute inflammatory response to infection, most children get well without antibiotics.

Like indiscriminate, mass use of antibiotics "kill" infectious microorganisms has put pressure on bacteria to mutate in order to survive, indiscriminate mass use of multiple vaccines to "eradicate" or tightly control infectious diseases is putting pressure on viruses and bacteria to mutate and become vaccine resistant. The B. pertussis bacteria causing whooping cough and the pneumococcal bacteria causing ear infections are two examples of organisms which are evading vaccines designed to prevent them from causing infection.

Rather than living in abject fear of microorganisms and trying to destroy them with drugs and vaccines, it might be time to take another approach that results in fewer complications. Working with nature by finding less toxic ways to augment and enhance healthy functioning of the immune system would be a good place to start.