...about ear candles

To my mind the practice of using ear candles is verging on crazy and is certainly dangerous. They strike me as little more than witchcraft and myths abound. I’m talking about them to dispel them.

Myth 1: Interconnections in the head allow the candles to drain the entire system through the ear.

Liquids and gases cannot pass through a normal, healthy ear drum. For example, most people have experienced pressure in their ears when changing altitude while driving in mountains, or ascending or descending during a flight. This pressure sensation results from atmospheric pressure changes acting on the middle ear space. If liquids and gases could readily pass through the ear drum, changes in atmospheric pressure would not create a “change in pressure” sensation. And, by the way, there are no empty interconnecting passages.

Myth 2: Oxygen drawn through the candle will create a vacuum.

A basic scientific evaluation measured the amount of vacuum force created by ear candles when placed in a simulated human ear canal. Despite numerous trials the creation of a vacuum didn’t occur at any point during testing.

Myth 3: When a vacuum is created, it will pull residue from the ear canal.

A scientific study compared volunteers’ ear canals before and after candling. Some subjects had impacted earwax and others had completely clear ear canals prior to candling. In all instances, after candling, there was no reduction in the amount of ear wax found in their ear canals. In fact, after taking part in candling, some participants were left with candle wax deposited in their ear canals.

Myth 4: The method is safe, non-invasive, and effective.

Candling is dangerous. Survey responses from medical specialists in the UK reported ear injuries from ear candling including burns, ear canal occlusions, ear drum perforations and secondary ear canal infections with temporary hearing loss.

I cannot see any benefits to the practice at all.