Did anybody watch Dr. Oz this past week? Once again he was discussing Alternative Medicine. I think that’s great.
I missed nearly the entire episode, but did catch most of the segment on Ear Candling. It didn’t seem to flow. The lady from the audience who recommended Ear Candling didn’t seem to know how to use the candles, nor did Dr. Oz. In fact Dr. Oz awkwardly attempted to hold the candle in his own ear while sitting up, without any instruction whatsoever, then the lady grabbed the candle blew it out and replaced it in or on Dr. Oz’s ear stating the smoke would draw out the ear wax. Of course when she blew the candle out the whole experiment fizzled and abruptly ended.
They then asked the “expert” who was a medical doctor. Does Ear Candling work? Yes or No? He said no. The lady said okay I’ll stop using them.
My understanding with ear candling is that the flame creates a vacuum which pulls out toxins and any built-up wax deposits as well as generally clearing up the eustachian tube. Also, the candles are placed air tightly in the auricle canal and the client has their head down on one side to facilitate the session. None of this was demonstrated.
I think Ear Candling got a bad rap.
If you saw the show or if you have any thoughts on Ear Candling, please leave a comment.
ear candling has been around for years and a lot of people swear it makes you feel much better after having it done properley
My wife’s sister suggested ear candling. I helped my wife use 4 candles on one ear. After each candle was done we would cut it open and there appeared to be a huge chunk of brown ear wax in the base of the candle.
I was skeptical and decided to burn a candle on it’s own not stuck in someones ear. That same big brown chunk of brown wax appeared at the base of the candle. It clearly wasn’t ear wax because it wasn’t in someones ear. I think the wax comes from the candle itself and turns brown due to the smoke.
The candle also left a thick layer of creamy looking residue at the bottom of the cup where the candle was burning. I imagine this same residue ends up in your ear.
Based on my little experiment I think ear candling is more of a scam and very unsafe procedure.
Hi Penny,
Thanks for your comment. I know many people who do feel much better after having ear candle sessions with professionals.
Jack
Hi Joe,
I’ve noticed that their is often lots of residue left if they open up the burnt candle. I was advised by experts that this residue for the most part comes from the ear candle itself. However, here’s what they also say:
This ancient therapeutic art may have been developed with the domestication of the honeybee. Beeswax was — and still is — a key component to making the hollow cylinders used in the procedure. The principal cloth used by ancient Egyptians was linen made from flax (the fibers of an annual blue-flowered plant).
Today, as in times past . . . high-quality, ear candles are handmade from beeswax and unbleached cotton cloths. These specially fabricated candles are typically nine (9) to twelve (12) inches long and will burn for approximately ten minutes.
Through a process called “convection” . . . softer waxes and toxins will be drawn out of the ear, oxidized and turned into vapors during the procedure.
This simple and time-proven therapy can be very effective in removing old and troublesome blockages from the ear canal, without the use of solutions or probes.
Many people attest to the value of ear candling in cleansing the ear canals and sinus passages. Ear candling is a good example of how a simple, natural therapy,
may be used to effectively solve many ear problems.
Jack
Holistic health practices often are misconstrued and typically maligned by many in the medical profession and by others who prefer to place their faith solely with modern medicine. But after having positive personal experiences with these same practices, people who have tried them tell story after story of success (known as anecdotal evidence). Ear candling is no exception.
My son got ear infections as a child. After 2 rounds of antibiotics I candled his ears. He was better the next day. The next time I saved the antibiotic money and candled again with the same results. It was easier and cheaper than 10-20 days of antibiotics without worrying about possible side effects.
Thanks Julia, that’s a great personal testimonial.
Jack
I didn’t see the Dr. Oz episode, but just yesterday I had a professional conduct the ear candling method on both ears the proper way, i.e. on you side, air tight. I’ve had a mild case of vertigo possibly brought on by stress and the lack of sleep. I also have difficulty breathing at night through my nose when I sleep. When I discovered that a build-up of calcium in the inner ear might be responsible for the vertigo, I decided to have the procedure done, followed by a massage to de-stress, which couldn’t hurt. That wave of dizziness is gone now. I think ear candling using beeswax candles makes sense and you could hear the wax being sucked out by the candle as it’s happening.