How Does an Ear Candle Work?
-
Extraction Faction
-
Ear candles are designed to extract wax and impurities from the ear canal. This can offer relief for blocked ears, sinus pain, headaches, stress, tinnitus and hearing loss. Ear candles can be purchased at health food stores or online at a cost of about about $5 to $7 a pair. They are generally made from beeswax, paraffin, soy and hemp.
Gather the Supplies
-
There are a handful of supplies needed to perform the procedure. These include a paper plate, scissors, a bowl of water, matches, two candles for each ear and a pillow.
The Buddy System
-
The next step in ear candling is finding an assistant to help. The procedure takes a while and cannot be performed alone. The assistant is there to help set everything up and perform and supervise the procedure.
Putting It All Together
-
The person getting ear candled lies on his side with his head resting on the pillow, aligned with the shoulder so the ear is level. The bowl of water should be nearby. The assistant cuts a small hole in the center of the paper plate and pokes the tapered end of the candle through it. There should be about 1/2 to 1 inch protruding through the bottom of the plate. The assistant lights the candle and places the plate on the person's ear while gently inserting the candle into the ear canal.
Catch Basin
-
The candle will burn down toward the plate, leaving dark ash left behind. The assistant cuts this ash away and drops it into the plate.
Remains Found
-
When the candle has gotten down to about 3 inches from the plate, the assistant pulls the whole thing off the ear, takes out the candle and snuffs it out in the bowl of water. The candle remnants can be cut lengthwise and inspected for wax and anything else that has been drawn out of the ear.
Hour Relationship
-
It usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes for each candle to burn down; there should be two candles used per ear. Allow enough time and don't rush the process. It is supposed to be both therapeutic and relaxing.
-
Related Searches
Resources
Comments
-
ryancammer
Feb 11, 2010
i hope nobody reading this EVER tries this. these "practices" are dangerous, and offer no therapeutic value whatsoever. it's far too easy to puncture the eardrum, burn the ear, or put foreign in the material. if you need your ears cleaned out, there are safer ways of doing so, including over the counter product. however, i'd just go to an ENT.
