If you, or especially one of your kids, have ever had an ear infection you know just how painful they can be. In this article I will explain how one type of ear infection is caused by a neck problem.
There are 3 places an ear infection can happen.
The first place is in the “outer ear”. The area from the ear drum to the outside of the ear canal is considered the outer ear. The outer ear infection is commonly called swimmers ear.
The second place an ear infection can happen is in the “middle ear”. The middle ear is the space behind the ear drum. The bones that transfer the vibrations from the ear drum to the auditory nerve are in the middle ear. There is a tube that connects the middle ear to the throat and allows air to pass through called the eustachian tube. When there is an ear infection in the middle ear it is very painful. The pain comes from the pressure that builds up inside the middle ear when the eustachian tube in the middle gets blocked and the infection creates puss. The middle ear area becomes like one big pimple and sometimes the ear drum pops just like a pimple.
The last place an ear infection can happen is in the “inner ear” The inner ear contains amazing sensors that help us with our balance. An inner ear infection is one cause of vertigo. I have a great article about vertigo here.
The middle ear infection is the most common kind of infection. Middle ear infections can become very stubborn especially in kids. The standard medical treatment is either to do nothing, use antibiotics, or perform surgery to insert a tube into the ear drum.
There is a cause of middle ear infection that is extremely common that very few doctors seem to be aware of. I promise, when you’re done with this article you will wonder why this is not one of the first thing fixed when someone has an ear infection.
One of the reasons this cause of an ear infection is not understood is because of the way most doctors tend to think. Doctors are trained to treat symptoms rather than address the cause of them. The standard medical treatment for most problems never asks the question, “WHY did this problem occur?” When a patient has an infection, protocol is to prescribe an antibiotic, without looking into the reason the body is not able to fight the infection on its own. When someone has a headache they are given a painkiller instead of investigating the cause of the headache. A person with high blood pressure gets drugs without addressing the reason for the high blood pressure.
My focus with my patients is to figure out what went wrong that has caused the problem. Ear infections are a great example of this. So why would a middle ear have an infection? Yep, some sort of bad bug gets into the middle ear and multiplies like crazy.
Let me ask you a question. How often does the middle ear get a harmful microbe? Are middle ears sterile until they get infected? Let’s broaden the question to understand this point even better. Do you think that your skin, throat, sinus, eyes, ears, stomach, intestines or urinary track is sterile until it get an infection? If you answered NO you are very smart! Our bodies are surrounded with all kinds of microbes from the moment we are born until those microbes consume our flesh! If we could swab 1000 middle ears we would find that not one middle ear was sterile. We would also find that most of those ears had those very same bad microbes that cause middle ear infections. However out of the 1000 people it is very possible that none of them had a current ear infection. So it seems pretty obvious to me that if the bad bugs are in the ear, eye, nose, stomach, etc. all the time, then there must be something that causes one person to get an infection while the next person remains well.
Does that make sense to you? What could happen in the ear that would cause an infection to break out? Obviously the immune system is a huge component to preventing infections. However, in the middle ear there is something that can go wrong that will allow microbes to flourish. I bet you can figure this out with another question. Why does inserting a tube into the ear drum work to “cure” stubborn ear infections? What does the tube do to the middle ear? The tube allows air into the middle ear. The microbes that cause ear infections are anaerobic. That means that they do best in environments that do not have oxygen. When a tube is put into the ear drum, oxygen gets into the middle ear and SHAZAM those bad microbes meet their maker!
If you’re reading this and asking yourself, “Isn’t that tube that goes from the middle ear to the throat supposed to let air in the middle ear you’re a GENIUS! The eustachian tube does just that. But, if the eustachian tube gets blocked, oxygen will not get into the middle ear and the middle ear will get overrun by bad bugs.
For the rest of the story check out this video!
So there you go! I hope that made sense.
If you have any questions, please use the comment section to ask!
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It’s No really a comment. I would like to know why when sitting my head chest ears and neck hurts and never seem to go away. Its very confusing.
Marie does the pain go away when you stand up?
No the pain never seems to go away. It all starts by sitting. I avoid sitting.
Can you give me the details Marie?
Sure. I had a hystrectomy November of last year. A few weeks later maybe about 3 the most I started having problems sitting. I went back to the doctors with no answers. I then went to my primary, she ruled out every test I was given. So back to the surgeon again no answer again bummer. So now almost a year later it is inposable to sit at all. Now my throat ears nose face teeth chest and bottom hurts at all time, and the headaches are omg. So could my spine have anything to do with it?
When you wake up in the morning are you painfree?
Omg I wish.. the funny thing about it is, when laying down the pain increase. My body also shakes when laying down also. My face teeth and my whole face I am very scared I my not wake up.
How do you sleep?
No well at all. In a year I truly have no had a good nights rest. Sleeping on my back is very painful, because of the pressure on my bottom. The side because of the ear neck and throat along with the headache and my eyes drainage. The right side with the headache also. Yea it sucks but I have hope.
Marie what is your hope?
Does standing hurt?
Does walking hurt?
Tell everything that makes this worse or better.
My hope that one of these god given days the root of the problem behind it all will come to light so I can get the help I truly need; yes it hurts just to do any of the every day things I use to do before my surgery. I had it thinking I would be better. Not.. its worst
What makes your pain less?
Nothing lesson the pain.Each day that goes. It gets worst. If I can get 10 min pain free I will even take 5 a day. That will be heaven omg.
O yea so I also have a broken foot with a cast up to my knee. Its pink showing my support for breast cancer awareness months. O yea fight like a girl….
.
How did you break your leg?
I feel down the stairs 2weeks ago, trying to get my son up for school 5am. May I was not fully awake.
Wow Marie that is quite a story! I am very sorry for your pain. My hunch is that scar tissue is at the root of your problem. You need to seek out a doctor who will work with you. I wish I could tell you I know what is wrong.
Yea. There are people in this who have it a lot worst. So l will take the scar tissue. Thank you so much for you time and kind words. I am sure we will talk again. God bless you and your family. Take care..
He’s not kidding. This works. My son used to get ear infections all the time. He was on a second round of anti-biotics for an ear infection when I finally tried chiropractic. It worked! And I took him regularly and he stopped getting sick all the time. He didn’t get an ear infection until we stopped going. So we went back. But he’s also right that you have to find a good one. We switched when ours moved away and it didn’t work. We had to drive an hour and go back to the old one until we found a good one closer.
Doctor,
I want to know why I get disoriented with this ear infection that my doctor told me? I have the antibiotics and the eardrops.. I use the “rice method” and it usually helps calm me down. It’s been a week now and only the disorientation has disappeared… my neck starts hurting and my eyes are always heavy and sometimes blurred and sometimes very hard to focus…. it’s hard to keep balance.. but i’m able to walk and do things… Please help.
Hi Tee,
You need to see your doctor again. You need to be examined in order to figure this out. I wish I could help you more. Let me know how you do.
Doctor,
I haven’t had an ear infection since i was a baby, now that allergy season is in effect and the pollen rate in New york is at a all time high i have gotten one. My doctor has seen me and told me that i have both the middle and inner ear infected, she has prescribed me Amoxicillin which my dosage is 500Ml and ear drops for the infection and for the pain percocet. Even after i have taken the medicine i feel as if nothing has changed, i am in constant pain and now my neck hurts so bad i can not turn it in any direction. i went back to see my doctor and she told me the Anti-biotic will be in full effect in 72 hours. is there anything that i can do until the medicine is working.? all i really can do is just cry because the pain is so horrific . Might i add that it hurts to talk chew and anything else that involves head neck and jaw movement.
Nera at this point I would recommend working with your doc. It sounds like you have a really bad infection. Once the infection is better if your neck still hurts a chiropractor should be able to help.
Hallo,
Is there a possible connection between
eustachian tube dysfunction and back pain or back pressure?
greetings,anton
Hi Anton,
I’m not aware of a cause and effect relationship between eustachian tube dysfunction and back pain or back pressure other than what I wrote about in this blog.
Hi Dr.Kilcup, I am demented with ear infection of the middle ear,my ear drum burst on a long haul flight and since then I have been prescribed 5 lots of antibiotics,continuously.They aren’t working,what you have said is the only sensible thing I have heard since this began 🙂 I have an under active thyroid and know my immune system is low,thankyou so much for enlightening me and making me know I’m not going insane after all lol.
I have another doctors appointment next week to see if the antibiotics are working this time,the pain is now in my neck so I will just have to see what happens next,kindest regards Lindsey 🙂
I have had at least 20double ear infections n 2015 and 4 since Christmas…ear drops antibiotics but now the pain has gone to the back of my head down to my neck and hurts as I swallow.. my Dr just seem to just brush me off with meds…is this something I should be concern about? Ask my Dr to do test more?
20! Wow! Donna something is not right there. I’d get a second opinion. Either you don’t have an infection or you do and you need a very different treatment than what you’ve had.
My lil boy has ear infecton and is not able to turn his neck is that normal in ear infecton?or should i find someone eles to treat him.
I’m sorry to hear that Shannon. I wish I could tell you what to do but I would need to see your son. If you have any concerns I’d take him to see a doctor and have him looked at.
Hello Dr. I have searched the internet to see if my CHRONIC neck problems are the cause to an nasty ear infection that seems to have come from nowhere. As a child I had horrible ear infections but my mother refused to have tubes put in my ears. Over the years I’ve learned after swimming or showering I have to use Qtips to soak up any resudule water. Yes I know this can be a very dangerous but for 20 years I’ve been earache free. Im on ear drops that contain sulfate, now I’m allergic to sulfate antibiotics but have been assured that the sulfate in ear drops should not cause a problem. After 3 days of amoxicillin, steroid dose pack and ear drops 2x day. My neck is flarring up on that side. I had failed neck surgery in 2009 and the surgeon used mad made bonegraft that was approved for lower back only. This has caused a host of problems and landed me disabled since. I have to wear a neck brace most of the day and sometimes to sleep as well. I’m not sure if I follow-up with ‘new’ neck surgeon of continue with GP. If chiropractic care is not an option what would your thoughts be? Thank you for your time, it’s greatly appreciated
Ps I found your presentation and video quite informative as well as setteling if you will…I know this is more than just another garden variety ear infection
Nicole a doctor that uses a technique called “Activator” could treat you safely and effectively. If there is an issue your neck and the eustachian tubes that will help.
As with any chronic infection issue there are concerns that the immune system is working right. The first place that I look if I’m concerned about immune function is the gut. Proper intestinal function is necessary for a good immune system.
Hope that helps.
Hello DR Kilcup.. I have now found out that I have swollen lymph nodes on my shoulders near the neck and behind the ear on the left side is the biggest issue and the soft bump feels and looks like a cushion if that makes sense. I am seeing a internal medicine , preoperative and vascular specialist for this she is setting up a ct scan for this. What are your suggestions about this please I want all advise I can get as this is painful at times my neck and behind the ear. I enjoy your videos and ideas. Please feel free to let me know what you think about my condition. Thank you I will look forward to your assistance. Andrea…
Thank you so much for this, why nobody is talking for this, i have kyphosis and chronic ear and sinus problems!
Hi! So… my daughter had a particularly nasty ear infection about two months ago, which we ultimately cleared up with antibiotics. Her ears looked good, but she started having headaches, stomach aches and dizziness. These symptoms have been a problem for about 2 months and then last week, they all simultaneously got worse. Her neck became incredibly painful to move or touch, but when checked out – her lymph nodes seemed fine and her ears were not infected… they just had a ton of negative pressure, and everything was very inflamed. A week of awful fever and headaches later, we finally got in to an ENT who told us that he is pretty sure she is on the tail end of a deep space (deep cervical lymph node) neck infection. Yikes! How do you prevent something like that? Is it likely that she will have more deep neck infections in the future? It was awful.
Hi Jessica,
I don’t know if your daughter will have more “deep space” infections. For me the real question is why did she have this infection in the first place. Obviously the ear infection could have due to a blocked inner ear tube. This other thing whatever it was seems to be connected to the ear infection or antibiotics. I’d get her to have her neck checked out by a good chiropractic doc to make sure the inner ear tube is good. Check out my article on what to do after antibiotics. Blessings.
Hello Dr. Kilcup. Thank you for sharing this video… I can’t believe I found a site that discusses the relationship between cervical spine & blocked Eustachian tubes.
Quick Summary:
1. 2007- diagnosed with cervical stenosis. After months of PT no improvement…cortisone shots did not help. Learned that the curvature of my neck is backwards…told it was no big deal.
2. 3/2008 Anterior discectomy fusion on C5-C7. 10/2009 Laminectomy on left C7-T1- due to synovial cyst.
3. Later in 2008 – experiencing regular dizziness and nausea. Only way to solve was to pop ears (pinch nose/blow).
4. 12/2008- Went to ENT- MRI showed no meneries. Recommendation- prescription that would make me tired. Opted out. Report indicated Chiari 1. Right tonsil 10.6mm, left 5.7mm. Told this was nothing to worry about…not related to issue.
5. 2009-10/15/2016- popping ears 3-6 times a day. Sometime during these years…hearing diminishes when laying on side. Solved with popping ears.
6. 10/15/16-Talked to GP- suggested using Flonase.
7. After a few weeks…amazing success at stopping dizziness/nausea. Hearing diminished slightly when standing/sitting. Found that I still had to pop ears regularly to hear well.
8. 7/2016- neck pain started- escalated significantly with various symptoms.
9. 9/16- Saw Ortho doc- sent to PT
10. PT 9/30/16-1/24/17- unable to stabilize…several good days…terrible days..last week pain spread to upper back…severe swelling- started steroid pak 1/25/17. Feel 95% better 1/28/17. Appt with Orth0 on 1/31/17
11. 1/24/17- Flonase seemed to stop working- dizziness/nausea back- need to pop ears all the time…much worse than before.
12. 1/24-1/28- going online to fine solutions to E. tube issues because I am clearly not effectively popping them…equalizing pressure.
13. Trying many recommendation to clear tubes (pressure points)…lots of drainage….less dizziness but still have to pop ears.
14. One of the recommendations was to pull my earlobe out and up. This caused pain deep inside left ear. Drainage…but no change in need to pop ear.
I’m desperate for a solution. I don’t feel there is anyone I can go to that can help me. I told the ENT about neck…told ortho about ears…no one mentioned it could be related. BTW -I’m 56 yrs old.
I would greatly appreciate any ideas/suggestions/comments.
Thanks
Hi Laurie,
Wow! I’m sorry for your misery! Clearly you are having trouble with your eustachian tubes. The two main categories that could be responsible are mechanical and biochemical. Getting a good chiropractor to see about the mechanical issues would be smart. I can help you with the biochemical connections. Clearly the flonase helped for a time. That suggests to me that something is wrong causing inflammation. These articles will give you some ideas of what could be going on:
http://darrellkilcupdc.com/2015/04/when-a-sinus-infection-is-an-intestinal-problem/
http://darrellkilcupdc.com/2013/11/leaky-gut-syndrome/
If you would like to see if I can help I need your full history and any medical records. Please fill out the functional medicine form: https://form.jotform.com/62988256034161 and attach the lab work that has been done. Once I go over everything we can meet over the phone/internet and talk about what you need. http://darrellkilcupdc.com/work-with-me/
Hello Dr. Kilcup. Thank you for the video, it was very informing for me. I have a question for you: would you suppose this is what is causing me some trouble? Im 28 years old man and for the ladt couple months i have had some ear problems. I have sustained some high frequenzy hearing loss many years ago, that situation has since calmed down, I know my hearing very well so I notice sudden changes easily. So back to present: like I said i’ve had some trouble, my ears started to feel very blocked and painful weeks ago. I went to see a doctor and he prescribed ear drops and eventually antibiotics. I took all those and the problem didn’t resolve. One point to mention is that also on the side of this, I’ve had neck and shoulder pain which correlates with the ear pain. I have this sudden bursts of sharp pain going from my neck to my ear. I’m not sure but for example my sternocleidomastoid muscle seems to be constantly tight. I should mention I’ve had my lower backs discs herniated for about year now. But yes, the ear pain, blockness and neck to shoulder pain has come to me at the same time, I’ve tried to better my posture this week but it has made the pain worse. Sorry for so long post, and thank you once again for your video!
Hi Ville,
I think you should see a good Chiropractor!
Will do that, thank you for your time.
I suffer from Patulous Eustachian Tubes (PET). I have rarely had ear infections however, I’m questioning if the same idea mentioned above could be an underlying cause of PET? Do you think that cranial facial massage, neck massage, and chiropractic therapy could help alliviate PET? If so, what advice may I share with with those professionals when i visit them?
Hi Adam,
I think seeing a good chiropractor is worth a shot.I would ask them to check out your upper cervical spine and correct anything that is wrong. It could help!
Good luck. I’d love to hear how it goes.
Hi Darrell,have just listened to your video. I had a cold and then a week later had a three hour flight. Since then I have been to my doctor. I have had blood tests which showed a elevated esr . My ear has been sore my temple tender and behind my ear and also my neck. I am quite sure it is my ear and concerned that she is thinking temporal arthritis and of course that could mean steroids!. Ear wax has been removed and slight redness in ear but of course that wouldn’t show a middle ear infection. I would really value your opinion. Sincere thanks Mary
Hi Mary,
It’s tough for me to give you an opinion without examining you. Temporal arteritis is not common in people under 50. An elevated sed rate can be a lot of things. A ultrasound or MRI would be helpful.
I’d love to know the rest of the story.
Blessings
thanks for the video, and layman terms explanation. I knew this already, from studying, among other neck related problems, though it is nice to see.
Thank you so much for this explanation! I believe I may have bone spurs on my neck that are causing my glands to become inflamed and ear problems. Is there anything that can be done to reduce the bone spurs? I go to a chiropractor here in Austin.
You are welcome Alaina. The only way I know of to remove bone spurs is surgery. There could be many other causes for your gland/ear problems. Food sensitivities, infections, intestinal problems all are possible. I have articles on all of these topics.
Thank you so much! I will look into that. I eat healthy, mostly vegan, but I have been thinking that maybe I need to try giving up gluten.
I have been having chronic neck and ear pain for 2 years. Antibiotics would help but it would come back within a week. On the same side I have a sinus problem and its only on that side . The chiropractor I went to told me he was scared to touch me because the symptoms sounded odd
Hi Dr Kilcup I am in Australia , and keep getting fluid build up , ear infections pain EtC I believe what you say about the neck . The question I have though is what can I do if I am not meant to go to a chiropracter . # T12 # T10 # S4/5 car accident in 2010
Wow this is great work Dr Darrell kilcup.I also have some problems with my ear and throat and was showing to an ent doctor long island and I do trust that you have to reveal your self to a selected professional for you Health issue. for a good health