Ear Candling & Ear Infections
Ear candling is a procedure in which a prepared cone of wax-covered linen or cotton is inserted into the ear and then burned. It is promoted as a way of removing ear wax and as a treatment for sinus problems and ear infections.
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Procedure
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Ear candling is done by inserting the ear candle into the ear and then lighting the outside edge of the candle. You must be lying down for this procedure; a container is placed under the candle to catch any falling debris.
Result
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Once the candle burns down, there is usually a large amount of waxy build-up left of the stub. Proponents say this is excess ear wax, but detractors claim it is simply burned wax from the candle itself.
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Vacuum Effect
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Ear candling enthusiasts say the action of the cone and the warm smoke produce a vacuum effect which cleans the ear of accumulated wax, and will result in relief from ear infections, sinus infections and earaches.
Research
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Research conducted in 1996 and published in the magazine Laryngoscope showed there was no vacuum created by ear candling, and that the procedure did not result in the removal of any wax from the ear canal.
Dangers
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The study also found that rather than wax being removed, there was a danger of burning wax falling into the ear, and that ear candling "may result in serious injury."
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of woodley wonderworks
