Is Ear Coning Safe?
Ear coning is also called ear candling and is done by inserting a hollow candle made of linen or cotton and beeswax into the ears and allowing smoke from the candle to travel into the ears and back out. The belief is that the smoke pulls toxins as well as excess wax out of the ears and improves health and hearing. The opinion of ear coning's safety and effectiveness varies.
Procedure
Practitioners of ear coning say the process removes excess wax from the ears and eustachian tubes, which are canals that link the pharynx to the middle ear. During coning, you are asked to lay on your side while a long, cone-shaped beeswax candle is inserted into your upward facing ear and then lit. As the candle burns, it produces a sticky, powdery smoke that travels into the ear. Advocates feel the treatment is cleansing, therapeutic and hygienic.
Ear Coning Advocacy
Those who support ear coning and candling say the procedure is safe and effective when done properly. They insist coning to be a natural alternative to chemical solutions and other conventional methods of cleaning, like metal scraping tools.
Advocates also argue that the traditional procedure of rinsing the ears with saline or water can be damaging. They say it can cause problems stemming from bacterial infection from trapped fluid.
Safety Concerns of Ear Coning by Conventional Medicine
Many people who have ear coning say they get relief from hearing and ear problems as well as a sense of general well-being after a treatment. But there are also reports of injuries or problems resulting from having ear candling done.
There are no controlled studies that indicate ear coning is safe or effective, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has denounced the practice and has banned four Canadian companies from importing the candles to the U.S.
A study done by the Spokane Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic in 1996 demonstrated that no wax was removed during a limited clinical trial of eight patients. In addition some of the eight trial participants actually had wax deposited in their ears from the candles. The study also surveyed 122 ear doctors who reported 21 ear injuries resulting from ear candling. The study's conclusion was that ear coning had no benefit and was dangerous.
Safe Ear Cleaning
The external part of the ears can be cleaned with a soft wash cloth but you should never stick anything into the ear canal.
Wax can be removed with baby oil or hydrogen peroxide. Putting a few drops of either can soften ear wax and help remove it.
Irrigation can be done at home or in a physician's office. Usually a syringe filled with warmed saline is used, but is never used on diabetics or anyone with a perforated eardrum.
Wax can be removed manually by an otolaryngologist, an ear, nose or throat specialist. The doctor uses special tools and suction to remove wax.
Warning
Ear coning should only be done when you learn properly cone or candle ears. Some natural and holistic doctors, wellness and alternative treatment centers perform coning, but the procedure can be done at home.
Most coning involves candles being burnt down to allow 4 to 6 inches of length left on the candle. Common sense and caution should be used any time fire or candles are used near the head or body.
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