| Question: | | | | discharge. Thirdly, if there has been trauma or tumour |
| My daughter, now 12, was diagnosed with glue ear at | | | | affecting the nerve endings in the inner ear, hearing will |
| three, after a toddlerhood of delayed speech, lick of | | | | be impaired. |
| comprehension and deafness. Two grommets were | | | | I suspect that the reason the grommets were put in |
| inserted in her bad ear, but didn't deliver the promised | | | | originally was due to a blocked Eustachian tube. The |
| miracles. The doctors say the eardrum has been | | | | bacteria that thrive in the middle ear and cause |
| perforated and scarred by the grommets. We have | | | | infection are killed by oxygen. Usually air enters |
| tried all kinds of diets and complementary therapies in | | | | naturally through the Eustachian tube and dries up the |
| our attempts to cure this constantly bunged-up ear. | | | | infected fluid. Grommers are inserted to allow in air if |
| She is prone to sinus congestion and often can't | | | | the tube is blocked. Now it seems that neither the tube |
| breathe through her mouth properly. I've refused | | | | nor the grommets are functioning, plus your daughter |
| another surgical procedure to stitch up the perforation. | | | | has ended up with a weak immune system - thus her |
| She is behind at school and is miserable. What is your | | | | frequent ear infections. |
| advice? | | | | We have to ensure that the perforation heals and the |
| Answer: | | | | Eustachian tube is kept open so that the air sac in the |
| To answer this, I need to explain the anatomy of the | | | | middle ear is clear to conduct sound. The following |
| ear. It has three sections. The external ear consists of | | | | suggestions give nature one last chance. If they don't |
| the tunnel of the ear lobe, which leads to the eardrum. | | | | work, surgery is the best option. |
| The middle ear is a sac full of air, in which three small | | | | To boost the immune system |
| bones are suspended: these are attached to the | | | | * Make sure your daughter's diet is good and balanced. |
| eardrum on one side and the opening of the inner ear | | | | Use fresh, preferably organic, food, with no canned or |
| on the other. The middle ear sac is connected to the | | | | preserved ingredients. Give her plenty of non-citrus fruit |
| throat via the eustachian tube at the base. The inner | | | | as snacks and fresh vegetables with every meal. |
| ear is like a fat spiral tube filled with liquid, with | | | | Avoid yeast products and citrus fruits, because they |
| numerous nerve endings on its surface. | | | | slow the healing process. |
| Sound waves enter the ear tunnel and vibrate on the | | | | * Make a nourishing chicken stock and give her a cup |
| eardrum. These vibrations are magnified by the little | | | | to drink (warm) one hour before supper, three to four |
| bones in the middle ear, which pass them to the inner | | | | times a week. Joint a baby chicken (poussin), bash the |
| ear. So the sound waves outside the ear are | | | | bones with a hammer to release the nutrients and boil |
| converted to vibrations inside. These cause the liquid in | | | | in a pot with ginger and garlic for about 90 minutes; |
| the inner ear to vibrate, and the nerve endings to | | | | strain and keep in the fridge. |
| trigger electrical impulses. These then travel to the | | | | * Give her one teaspoon of Bioprash with New |
| brain via the auditory (hearing) nerve, which 'interprets' | | | | Zealand manuka honey after break fast, for two |
| the impulses as sound. | | | | months, to help the body heal more quickly. |
| In order to hear properly, the eardrum has to be intact | | | | For the ear |
| and flexible. If it is perforated and/or has scar tissue, as | | | | * Put one to two drops of mullein oil (available from |
| you mention, it can't vibrate with sound waves. Also | | | | homoeopathic pharmacies) in the affected ear each |
| the bones in the middle ear should be able to move | | | | morning to help healing. |
| and vibrate. For this to happen the bones must be | | | | * Put two drops of Sinus Oil in each nostril at bedtime |
| suspended in the sac and the pressure here is very | | | | and twice during the day. Let your child sniff it in, wait |
| important. Think of what happens to your ears in an | | | | two minutes, then try to .pop' the ears by closing the |
| aeroplane. When the air pressure changes at take-off | | | | nostrils and blowing air into the ears. If the tube is not |
| and landing, you need to 'pop' your ears to get hearing | | | | permanently blocked, it should open within a few days. |
| back. If the middle sac is filled with fluid or pus due to | | | | * Get your child to flatten the palm of her hand against |
| infection, it, prevents the bones magnifying and | | | | the ear to close it tightly. Then pump air into the |
| transmitting vibrations. The infected fluid can also | | | | eardrum by repeatedly cupping, then flattening the |
| perforate the eardrum and come out as a smelly | | | | palm again. This will massage the eardrum. |