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Ear Candles

Ear Candling - Should you try it? Short answer? no. You might have seen them for sale or offered as a relaxing therapy at a local spa, but what even are ear candles? These long, hollow objects are actually tightly wrapped cloth that's been soaked in wax, making them look like a tapered candle. Using them is supposed to cure all sort of ailments, from ear pain, tinnitus, wax buildup, sinus issues, vertigo, to even cancer. To use an ear candle, you have to lie on your side. A second person puts the thinner end of the candle in your ear and lights the other end on fire (yikes!). As the candle burns down, the second person will have to cut the burnt ends away. Sometimes there's a little guard to keep the wax from dripping onto you. Supposedly, the heat creates a small vacuum that pulls wax and other debris out of the ear. Research shows that not only is this not true, but (surprise!) setting a waxy fire close to your ear has significant

Ear Candling - Should you try it? Short answer? no. You might have seen them for sale or offered as a relaxing therapy at a local spa, but what even are ear candles? These long, hollow objects are actually tightly wrapped cloth that's been soaked in wax, making them look like a tapered candle. Using them is supposed to cure all sort of ailments, from ear pain, tinnitus, wax buildup, sinus issues, vertigo, to even cancer. To use an ear candle, you have to lie on your side. A second person puts the thinner end of the candle in your ear and lights the other end on fire (yikes!). As the candle burns down, the second person will have to cut the burnt ends away. Sometimes there's a little guard to keep the wax from dripping onto you. Supposedly, the heat creates a small vacuum that pulls wax and other debris out of the ear. Research shows that not only is this not true, but (surprise!) setting a waxy fire close to your ear has significant

risks. These could be burns, ear infections, holes in your eardrums, loss of hearing, and wax or ash left behind inside the ear. This wax is way harder to remove because it's MUCH more solid than earwax. After the ear candle is removed, you can cut it open and see the remains of what has apparently been pulled from your ear. This is used as evidence that the ear candle really does work, but studies show that this is just burnt cloth and wax from the candle itself!

risks. These could be burns, ear infections, holes in your eardrums, loss of hearing, and wax or ash left behind inside the ear. This wax is way harder to remove because it's MUCH more solid than earwax. After the ear candle is removed, you can cut it open and see the remains of what has apparently been pulled from your ear. This is used as evidence that the ear candle really does work, but studies show that this is just burnt cloth and wax from the candle itself!

Ear candling is also said to cure middle or inner ear problems. The problem with this is that you can't even access these areas from your ear canal, because your eardrum is in the way. The only way you could reach your middle or inner ear is if your eardrum has a hole in it, in which case you would have WAY bigger issues on your hands. If wax and ash get stuck behind your eardrum, it would require surgery to remove. The bottom line is that ear candling has no proof of benefits, and plenty of proof of risks. So what can I do? Our ears are made to clean themselves naturally, and wax is the way they do that. Most of the time, you shouldn't have to do anything to help it along, but if you are feeling waxy, there's something better you can try at home! Try putting a few drops of mineral oil in your ears for a couple days, then gently flushing your ears in the shower. If this isn't enough, it's time to see a doctor! They can see into your ear a lot easier than you can, and will be able to help.

Ear candling is also said to cure middle or inner ear problems. The problem with this is that you can't even access these areas from your ear canal, because your eardrum is in the way. The only way you could reach your middle or inner ear is if your eardrum has a hole in it, in which case you would have WAY bigger issues on your hands. If wax and ash get stuck behind your eardrum, it would require surgery to remove. The bottom line is that ear candling has no proof of benefits, and plenty of proof of risks. So what can I do? Our ears are made to clean themselves naturally, and wax is the way they do that. Most of the time, you shouldn't have to do anything to help it along, but if you are feeling waxy, there's something better you can try at home! Try putting a few drops of mineral oil in your ears for a couple days, then gently flushing your ears in the shower. If this isn't enough, it's time to see a doctor! They can see into your ear a lot easier than you can, and will be able to help.

Tags:

yeg
edmonton
audiology
hearing
hearing loss
tinnitus
vertigo
dizziness
earwax

Earwax
•
Tinnitus
•
Vertigo

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