Ear Candling !!

I went to the health food store which is ran by the local town gypsy/ hippie...

She told me about it and I thought well I will try it on the whole family and it was amazing.... My husband talked very loudly prior to this and now he speaks in a normal tone of voice and says his hearing has immensly improved.... my daughters said that afterward they felt their hearing is better....When you do it and then look into the candle and see all the ear funk that is vaccumed out it will totally gross you out . So worth it

Is this something people should be doing at all? I thought sticking anything inside of ears is a big no-no.

Is this something people should be doing at all? I thought sticking anything inside of ears is a big no-no.

You don't stick it inside the ear, I think it just is placed against it. I've heard it's very very good, and safer than using q-tips or oils to clean the ears. It's also supposed to be very soothing, like meditation almost.

I've tried ear candling. It's great! Yo,u place the end of the funnel shaped candle in your ear, but it does not go all the way down the ear canal. If you do it correctly, it's perfectly safe. However, another person to assist is essential. I bought the candles at a health food store, but I can't remember the name brand. If you read the product information carefully, it does say that the waxy material seen around the inside of the candle is not actually ear wax but is wax from the candle itself. The heat and smoke from the candle loosen ear wax and it then falls out gradually over the next day or so, mostly while sleeping. It is very relaxing and it does help remove ear wax.

I've heard of this, too. I've never tried it, but I know several people who have and they had positive results. Me, I'd catch my hair on fire or something. (I'm pretty sure the candle isn't lit when it's in your ear, but I'd find a way to do damage.)

My husband has the most amazing wax capacity in his ears of any human out there, I'm sure....even his doctors are stunned. Candling is the ONLY way his ears get clear. It's not harmful - nothing actually goes into the ear canal and it is absolutely painless. We LOVE it!

According to The Straight Dope, there is no difference between the wax in your ears before and after candling. I have done this before, and then burned the candle without putting it in my ear, and got the same amount of "wax" on the bottom of the ear candle -- even though it wasn't in my ear!

>shrug

My mom swears by it, and I have heard that others have had great experiences as well. I guess I think that it feels good to have the warmth in the ear; but I'm skeptical that there is actually enough of a vacuum to clean out the ears.

There is the risk of pushing/impacting the wax in your ear when you do it, and also hot wax can drip down into your ear and cause internal burns.

I think that if you want to do it, fine, and if it seems to make a difference, great. I wouldn't do it alone, though. Get someone to help you out.

Lori

According to The Straight Dope, there is no difference between the wax in your ears before and after candling. I have done this before, and then burned the candle without putting it in my ear, and got the same amount of "wax" on the bottom of the ear candle -- even though it wasn't in my ear!

>shrug

My mom swears by it, and I have heard that others have had great experiences as well. I guess I think that it feels good to have the warmth in the ear; but I'm skeptical that there is actually enough of a vacuum to clean out the ears.

There is the risk of pushing/impacting the wax in your ear when you do it, and also hot wax can drip down into your ear and cause internal burns.

I think that if you want to do it, fine, and if it seems to make a difference, great. I wouldn't do it alone, though. Get someone to help you out.

Lori

The candle does not create a vacuum to get out the wax! The wax seen on the inside of the candle is not wax from the ear, but from the candle itself. The ear wax is softened from the heat and comes out naturally over the next day or so.

It is necessary to have someone assist with ear candling because of the risk of burning or catching your hair on fire. The wax from the candle does not really run down the candle though, so I wouldn't be worried about getting wax on the inside of the ear.

The candle does not create a vacuum to get out the wax! The wax seen on the inside of the candle is not wax from the ear, but from the candle itself. The ear wax is softened from the heat and comes out naturally over the next day or so.

My bad. I've only ever read that it is a gentle vacuum that draws the wax out of the ear. If you goggle ear candling, you get the majority of websites that offer candles or candling claiming that it is a gentle vacuum that draws wax out of the ears:

http://www.dakara.com/faqear.html

http://www.earsalive.com/Intro--tables.htm

http://www.freewebs.com/heatherlmt/faqsbenefits.htm

http://www.inlightimes.com/archives/2001/12/ear-candeling.htm

These seem closer to what you describe:

http://www.usanest.org/faq.htm#1

http://www.globalherbalsupplies.com/earcandles/

Like I said, I don't know. I'm just going by what I can read; I have yet to read a scientific study that shows improvement in hearing, sinuses, or ear wax accumulation after candling. Doesn't mean it's not out there, or that there isn't a benefit that isn't readily measured.

I'm kind of a "if it works, who cares why it works" sort of person. My mom hasn't had an ear infection in two years, since she has started candling. She has also changed her diet, started to exercise, and lost 30 pounds. I don't really care why she hasn't had an ear infection -- I'm just happy she's not popping antibiotics like candy anymore.

Anyhow, there are my thoughts, worth perhaps 2 cents....

Lori

Ahhh. I was under the impression that you didn't actually have the candle lit. Learn something new every day.

My husband can use this. He has to see a doc every couple of months to get the wax out. They use a water pik. He won't let me flush it myself. I don't know how he would feel about candles though.

I am completely anti alternative therapies, but even I, the great sceptic have been made to reconsider - my sister uses them for sinus problems and swears by this and head massage as the only thing that brings relief - she has stopped moaning - that has to be a plus! I am convinced!