Is Ear Candling Safe

Listen up! All the advice you ever need to hear about your ears

We know what our ears are for. But as a surgeon specialising in these delicate structures, I am all too aware that many people don't know how to look after them.

For instance, most of us think nothing of wiggling a cotton bud inside the ear trying to scoop out wax. It is considered part of daily hygiene by many  -  but in fact overzealous cleaning can often lead to infections and even permanent hearing damage.

The ear is a complex organ and can be divided into three main regions. The outer ear protects the eardrum from direct damage and channels sound waves through the ear canal to the eardrum.

The middle ear, separated from the outer ear by the eardrum, is an air-filled cavity that connects to the back of the nose through the Eustachian tube, which opens when you swallow or yawn. Sound waves make the eardrum vibrate.

Inside the middle ear cavity are tiny bones that transmit vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear or cochlea. This consists of a fluid-filled tube, coiled like a snail shell, and contains the minuscule hair cells that translate sound waves into nerve impulses that travel up to the brain.

The health of our ears is something we should be diligent about because  -  apart from keeping us free of pain and infection  -  it could save our hearing.

Here are the questions I get asked by patients that should help keep them in good shape.

Earwax, or cerumen, is an antibacterial substance produced by glands in the ear canal to prevent infection and help rid the ear of dead skin cells. It is easy and hygienic to clean the outer ear flap, or pinna, with soap and water.

The skin of the ear canal is designed to help the wax move outwards, like a conveyor belt, taking the wax and any other debris with it.

Cotton buds are a similar width to the ear canal and actually push wax further inside, although if you wish to use one to clean the edge of the ear canal  -  the visible part  -  that is fine.

However, do this delicately as they can scrape the skin, leading to an infection, and even puncture the eardrum if pushed in too deeply.

Some people use olive oil to soften wax and speed its exit, but it can block the ear further. Hopi ear candles claim to suck wax out of the ear by producing a vacuum from a burning hollow candle. These have failed tests for safety and efficacy, and the Food and Drug Administration in the US has banned them for sale as a health remedy.

Healthy and Clean with Ear Candle | About Health News

Bustle sometimes makes one forget the care of the body is very important, as an example is the ear. On the inside of the ear, there are a number of toxins that continue to be produced and must be cleaned so that the ear is always healthy and clean. In addition, the structure of the open ear organs causing dust and dirt easily entered and lodged in the ear.

The traditional way that has been used is to clean the ear with a cotton bud. But if not careful how this will actually hurt the inside of our own ears. The more modern, comfortable, and safe way to clean the ears is to use the Ear Candle therapy (ear wax). Ear candle therapy is effective enough to be picked up dirt in the ear. By using therapy ear-shaped pipe-shaped cone at its end has a filter, more dirt lifted.

How it works is very simple ear therapy. About 5 minutes to do the massage around the ear. Then the ear candle that has a length of approximately 20 cm was partially end that has the smallest diameter is inserted into the ears. Candles burned up leaving 1-2 cm above the filter. Candle wax therapy can be performed once a week or once a month, depending on the activity undertaken. People are a lot of outdoor activities or field, his ears would be more dirty quickly and should be more frequent ear cleaning.

Ear Candling in Essence

Practical guide to ear candling

The Essential Guide to Holistic and Complementary Therapy

How to Unbreak Your Health, Your Map to the World of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, 2nd Edition

Geriatric otolaryngology