What is an ear infection (otitis media)?
Most commonly an allergy or inflammation of the upper respiratory tract leads to congestion and swelling of the nasal mucosa and eustachian tubes. Eustachian tubes are small tubes that drain the ear into the back of the throat. When the eustachian tube is blocked secrections build up in the ear and viral or bacterial infections can to take hold. Children aged 6-24 months are more at risk because the shape of the eustachian tube and immaturity of the immune system. The most common infectious agents are Streptococcus pneumoniae in 40-50%, Haemophilus influenzae in 30-40%, Moraxella catarrhalis in 10-15%, and viruses 10%. Many naturopathic doctors have observed that food allergies are often the largest offender to cause inflammation of the eustachian tube. When parents remove the offending food the ears clear up and infections do not recur.
