Probiotic nose spray promising for ear trouble

[Celebration]

http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/02/16/eline/links/20090216elin010.html

A nose spray containing a naturally occurring probiotic or "good" bacteria may be an effective treatment for children with chronic secretory otitis media -- a condition involving persistent drainage of fluid from the ear that usually results from ear infections.

In a study, the probiotic nose spray got rid of all or nearly all of the ear fluid present in a significant number of children with the problem, clinicians from Sweden report.

"The results are very promising, and in the future, bacterial treatment might reduce hearing problems, and postpone or even render surgery unnecessary in many cases," Dr. Susann Skovbjerg from the University of Gothenburg told Reuters Health.

Insertion of tubes to drain the fluid, she said, "might be avoided in children with long-standing secretory otitis media."

[AnnieBW]

1. That's good

I had chronic ear infections as a child, and chronic sinus infections as an adult. Guess what I'm home sick with today? Yup. Sinus infection.

[Frustratedlady]

2. Some ear infections can also be avoided if....

the baby is not allowed to take a bottle while lying down. Many people prop a bottle up for the baby and this allows some of the fluid to be sucked into the ear canal in some way. A doctor showed my son how it happens, since my granddaughter had been fighting ear infections. They made sure she was no longer laid down when being fed and that was the end of the problem.

Worth a try.