Ear Candling

James Mally, N.D. ear candling a patient. [1]

Ear candling, also called ear coning, is a folk medicine practice intended to remove ear wax and toxins from a person's ear. It involves placing a hollow candle in the ear canal and lighting it; the rising hot air is said to create a vacuum that pulls out toxins from the inner ear and the sinuses. Ear candling has been shown to be ineffective at creating a vacuum and removing impurities from the ear, and has resulted in numerous injuries [2].

Some practitioners of ear candling show accumulations of "wax" inside used candles as evidence that they are effective. However, one European manufacturer, Biosun, points out that these are in fact products of combustion of the candle, which form inside the candle even when it is not placed inside the ear.

Manufacturers of ear candles often refer to them as Hopi ear candles, referring to the Hopi Native American nation. There is, however, little objective evidence that ear candling is in fact an established treatment within Hopi folk medicine.

Dangers

Placing a candle inside the ear can potentially lead to burns, infection, obstruction of the ear canal and perforation of the eardrum. One particular concern is wax dripping into the ear, which can cause internal burning and blockage. [3] Some ear candles are designed with a plug inside to help prevent this. Others are designed to be self-extinguishing.

Ear candling is generally classified as pseudoscience or even quackery by mainstream medicine, as very little scientific evidence supports it. Skeptics suggest that that there is no mechanism by which the candle could conceivably draw out anything from the ear, and that sufficient vacuum to do so could not possibly be generated.

Legal status

In Europe, some ear candles are regulated as medical devices, tested for safety and bear the CE mark (93/42/EEC).[4] Nonetheless, one should remember that the CE mark is mostly self-issued by the manufacturer, supposedly assuring conformance to a standard.

Selling or importing ear candles with medical claims is illegal in the U.S. and Canada. [5] However, they remain widely available.

External links

Support

• Description of ear candling by alternative therapists
• Dr. Andrew Weil's opinion on ear candling (see also: Andrew Weil)
• Photos of an Ear Candling experiment

Opposition

• Seely DR, Quigley SM , Langman AW. Ear candles: Efficacy and safety. Laryngoscope 106:1226-1229, 1996.
• Health Canada's statement on ear candles
• The Straight Dope: "How do ear candles work?"
• CBC Marketplace article on ear candling and risks
• Skeptic's Dictionary on Ear Candling
• Quackwatch on Ear Candling