Ear Candling

Why Would You Want to Candle Your Ears?

Though ear candling is not recommended by the FDA or medical experts the ancient practice of ear candling is still in use today. It is intended to clean the ears by unclogging earwax build-up and loosening or drawing out impurities from the ear canal with warm air and smoke. The candle is actually a hollow cone made from strips of cloth and beeswax. The smaller end of this cone is inserted inside the ear. The larger opening of the cone is lit with a match or lighter to create a flame.

Warnings Against Ear Candling

The process of ear candling is not difficult to perform. However, it is associated with some risks. There have been reports of punctured eardrums and burn injuries due to hot wax dripping onto the skin and inside the ear. Also, hair catching on fire is alarming and should be especially avoided. The medical community has concluded that ear candling is not an effective treatment for any medical condition, citing potential harm would offset any other possible benefit.

Why Would You Want to Candle Your Ears?

Candling sessions can be found in spas and wellness centers. There are also markets where candles can be purchased for a do-it-yourself session with the assistance of another person. The question is: Why would you want to candle your ears? Basically, you will want to ask yourself if the benefits outweigh any possible harm to you. If you are interested in ear candling merely to clean the earwax out of your ears, modern medicine has better and safer means to accomplish this.

Better Ways to Clean Your Ears

Recommended home treatments for removal of excessive earwax:

• Placing a few drops of oil (mineral oil, baby oil, or glycerin) inside the ear canal to soften the wax.
• Using hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide drops are helpful in the removal of wax.
• Ear syringing, using a solution of warm water and saline. (Caution: Avoid having your ears irrigated if you have diabetes, a perforated eardrum, tube in the eardrum, or a weakened immune system.)

Pros and Cons of Ear Candling

It is interesting that ear coning or ear candling continues to thrive, regardless of medical research studies that indicate there is no evidence of benefits. Pros and cons of ear candling continue to stir heated discussions, perhaps as hot as the candle flame.

In the case of ear candling, the science against its use is clear. Even so, the debate over its practice continues. Ear candling is a lucrative business for the candle manufacturers as well as for the wellness centers and practitioners who offer ear candling as a service. Many customers are satisfied with their ear candling experiences, describing the process as enjoyable and relaxing. For these reasons, the practice of ear candling is not going to go away anytime soon.

Ear Cleaning Reference: American Academy of Otolaryngology