Movement of the temporal bones – the part of the skull located beneath the temples – could be a significant risk factor in a type of severe middle ear infection – acute otitis media – in young children, according to a study from the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec.
The eustachian tube is a small tube that connects the middle ear to the back of the throat, that drains secretions and protects the middle ear. The tube is vulnerable due to the the fact that the bony portion is located in the temporal bone.
The bones of the skull, including the temporal bone, are not fused in infancy. This condition makes the the skull and temporal bones of children more vulnerable to various disturbances.
"The slightest movement or disturbance of the position of the temporal bone affecting the tube may interfere with the evacuation of secretions and increase the risk of AOM," said Chantal Morin, specialist in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences .
Morin evaluated 65 children between the ages of 6 to 18 months and found 35 percent of them showed a significant restriction of the temporal bone.
"Osteopathy uses gentle mobilizations to improve the positioning of the temporal bone, and thus improve the positioning of the eustachian tube and its function of removing secretions," said Morin.