OK, I already alluded to in a previous thread my pure unadulterated joy at flushing people's ears out which I do with some regularity at my new job. (Laugh if you must, but I consider it a little step above enemas and impactions, which I've also had to do a lot of in my time! ) Today, I flushed a hunk of crap as big as the first joint of my pinkie finger out of a girl's ear. (Keep getting visions of that annoying wireless phone commercial, "Can you hear me NOW?") She said she had been trying to use ear candles to draw out the wax and wondered if they helped. Whether they work for others or not, I don't know, but her wax was clearly way beyond any therapeutic benefit of a candle. Told her I had no knowledge and she's going to call back next week after I do some research and question the docs.
Gut instinct is that they're probably a crock, and there was a weird film coating the outside of her ear goober that I don't usually see and might be attributable to the ear candles.
HAVE USED THEM FOR YEARS, WOULDN' LIVE WITHOUT THEM. i FIND THEM VERY SUCCESSFUL. GREAT ADVICE NOT DO DO IT ALONE. ALWAYS USE A FIREPROOF TOWEL OVER THE HEAD AND CUT A BASEBALL SIZED HOLE IN THE CENTER FOR THE EAR AND THE CANDLE TO PROTRUDE. I FIND THEM AT ABOUT ONE DOLLAR PER CANDLE AT A LOCAL HEALTH FOOD STORE.
As I live and breathe--very interesting. Thanks for the web page jump. I only wish my mom had known about this when I was little. I sufferes major earaches. She used to heat sweet oil and wick it in my ear and rock me till I stopped crying. Sweet oil is also known as olive oil>
I work w/ a holistic nurse who endorses these, but the fact of the matter is that when you use ear candles, the result which is supposed to be extracted ear wax and fungus/bacteria, is merely the residue of the ear candles itself - It doesn't matter whether you stick one of these things in your ear or a cup of water, the former just risks some of that gunk dripping from the candle into your ear. Not a safe or advisable remedy.
A candle, while burning, draws (wax, toxins, whatever) out through your ear. Put aside "feelings," think critically. Use the scientific knowledge you have as nurses.
Supposedly, the hollow candle placed in the ear gets oxygen to burn through "suction" through the hollow candle. Remember, any gas (including oxygen or room air) follows the path of least resistance, so why would a "suction" need to be created through the hollow candle, when there is oxygen all around the flame? If air must be "sucked" through the hollow candle, why do solid candles burn at all?
Now, if you are still a believer, as falconboy suggests, burn one at your ear, and one in a cup. Compare the residue. Hmmmm
Specializes in CVOR,CNOR,NEURO,TRAUMA,TRANSPLANTS.
The first time I saw them was in Singapore.... My husbands family member was using one on a child and I about freaked.I had never seen such and the thought of a flame near a child freaked me out even more. I just got very close and watched.... the thing worked. My husband swears by them Im just too much of a wuss and Im scared to death my hair would explode at some point. Will stick to the old fashioned way, until that stops working then maybe try shoving a candle down my ear.
A candle, while burning, draws (wax, toxins, whatever) out through your ear. Put aside "feelings," think critically. Use the scientific knowledge you have as nurses.
Supposedly, the hollow candle placed in the ear gets oxygen to burn through "suction" through the hollow candle. Remember, any gas (including oxygen or room air) follows the path of least resistance, so why would a "suction" need to be created through the hollow candle, when there is oxygen all around the flame? If air must be "sucked" through the hollow candle, why do solid candles burn at all?
Now, if you are still a believer, as falconboy suggests, burn one at your ear, and one in a cup. Compare the residue. Hmmmm
Kevin McHugh
Edited for clarity.
Actually it acts more like a chimney...
If you light a fire at the top of a chimney, you get a gas draw from the bottom of the chimney created by the burning fuel at the top. The same works with ear candles. Yes, the residue inside the top of the candle is from the candle itself. The residue toward the bottom is actually ear wax. They look different and have different textures as well.
As someone who routinely burned herself with curling irons, there is no way I'm going for flames. And what if you have hairspray in your hair...can anyone say POOF!!
I got a gift certificate for a spa for Christmas and one of the treatments that this spa offers is ear candling.
"This soothing and relaxing treatment helps relieve pressure in the ears. A cylinder is gently placed in the ear and lit on the opposite side creating a vacuum with no discomfort. Helping to relieve pressure, wax build up, and inner ear blockage, old ear wax and toxins are removed. Great for ear pain due to allergies, sinusitis, and swimmers ear!..........................................$50"
I'm a natural-born skeptic, so the whole "chimney draw" thing isn't working for me. If I light a fire in the fireplace, the chimney draws primarily from room air, not from the chimney. If I light a fire midway up the chimney, the fire would still draw from both the room and the chimney. If I light a fire on top of my chimney, as in the earlier explanation, my neighbours will call the police.
I chalk ear-candling up there with chiropractic and other 'natural healing' remedies...not therapeutic, but they feel good and probably won't do too much harm to anything but your wallet. By the way, what 'toxins' build up in your ear canal? I've never heard my ears fart. And the spiel about 'removing inner ear blockage...", well, if ear candling can really do that then why bother with a tympanoplasty for your toddler when you can go to Sally's Beauty Salon and have a medical procedure done by a gum-snapping twenty-two year old with artificial nails?
I'll stick to flushing my ears with hydrogen peroxide and warm water--not sexy, not 'natural', but effective and safe.
I've never heard of using ear candles to remove "toxins" from the ear canal -- only wax -- and they definitely don't remove inner ear blockage. I would also submit that using good ol' H2O is as natural as you can get.
However ... for general wax buildup (not impaction) I do know that ear candles work. :stone
) Today, I flushed a hunk of crap as big as the first joint of my pinkie finger out of a girl's ear. (Keep getting visions of that annoying wireless phone commercial, "Can you hear me NOW?") She said she had been trying to use ear candles to draw out the wax and wondered if they helped. Whether they work for others or not, I don't know, but her wax was clearly way beyond any therapeutic benefit of a candle. Told her I had no knowledge and she's going to call back next week after I do some research and question the docs.
HAVE USED THEM FOR YEARS, WOULDN' LIVE WITHOUT THEM. i FIND THEM VERY SUCCESSFUL. GREAT ADVICE NOT DO DO IT ALONE. ALWAYS USE A FIREPROOF TOWEL OVER THE HEAD AND CUT A BASEBALL SIZED HOLE IN THE CENTER FOR THE EAR AND THE CANDLE TO PROTRUDE. I FIND THEM AT ABOUT ONE DOLLAR PER CANDLE AT A LOCAL HEALTH FOOD STORE.
nursedawn67, LPN
1,046 Posts
Well I learn something new everday!
