Also called ear coning, ear candling is an alternative health practice that practitioners claim clears the ears of wax, toxins and other buildup. As a complementary treatment for tinnitus, large accumulations of ear wax or sinus problems, many believe that ear candling is a safe, relaxing and effective way to treat conditions of the ears and sinuses. Although praised by many, there are a number of health professionals and others who believe that the practice is not only ineffective but unsafe. Be careful when ear candling and be sure to consult with your physician before undergoing the procedure.
Materials
To ear candle properly, you will need someone to perform the procedure for you. The person performing the ear candling should be experienced with the procedure and have some background in ear health. Ear candles are tubes that range in length from 5 to 10 inches. The tubes are made of cloth that have been wrapped into a tubular shape and then dipped in a wax such as paraffin or beeswax. Earcandles.net sells ear candles made of beeswax and optionally dipped in essential oils. The website of alternative health practitioner Lynn Hancher offers ear candles made of beeswax, linen, honey and a variety of herbal oils.
You will need one candle per ear, something to light the candle with, a paper plate or foil pie pan and a comfortable place to lie down. The entire procedure should take no more than 20 minutes, but, if the candling is augmented with a massage or just a period of relaxation, it can take longer.
Procedure
First, have the person receiving the candling get an ear exam. It may sound extreme, but you want to make sure that her ears are healthy and that there are no abnormalities or other conditions that could cause additional harm during the ear candling procedure. If you are the person performing the procedure, you need to first have gathered your materials nearby.
Before beginning, poke a dime-sized hole in the center of the pie pan or paper plate and stick the ear candle into the hole. This will prevent ash from falling onto the person receiving the procedure. Then, have the person lie down on her side with her head slightly elevated on a small pillow or cushion. You can make the procedure all the more relaxing by playing calming music and by giving a shoulder and neck message.
Once the person is relaxed, you want to gently insert the candle into the outer ear canal. Never shove or push anything into the actual canal. Most ear candles are designed with a taper at the end of the tube that allows the candle to sit comfortably into the outer ear canal. Once set, light the other end of the candle and allow it to burn about three-quarters of the length of the ear candle. During the procedure you may want to firmly hold the candle in place. Lynn Hancher suggests that ear candling practitioners remain at the person's side during the procedure and keep hold of the candles.
You should also reassure the person receiving the procedure that she may hear a slight crackling, hissing, or popping sound, but that these are completely normal. At any point during the candling, if the person receiving the procedure complains of even the slightest pain, you should stop performing the candling immediately.
Warnings
Although practitioners of ear candling believe the treatment is effective in removing wax from the ears, the article "Ear Candling: Conflicting Information, Confused Consumers" by Heather Shenk, Au.D, and Jess Dancer, Ed.D, reports that in a controlled experiment in which the "candling" procedure was performed on a test tube of human ear wax, there was no ear wax removed from the tube nor was any "sucked" into the candle.
Linda Dahlstrom's article, "Fire in the hole! The truth about ear candling--Does it Work?" recounts Dahlstrom's experiences receiving ear candling to treat an acute ear problem. According to Dahlstrom, after speaking with Dr. David Leopold of the Scripps Center for Interactive Medicine, she was informed that the procedure itself promotes ear damage instead of health. Earwax (also called cerumen) is actually a helpful secretion that the ear creates to rid the ear canal of toxins, bacteria and other debris that can lodge into the ear.
If you're considering performing or receiving an ear candling treatment, make sure you are fully aware of the risks and dangers of the procedure.
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