The origins of candling are uncertain, but this ancient practice possibly originated in the Orient, Egypt, or the pre-Columbian Americas. Practitioners of candling (also called coning) use special ear candles made of linen or cotton soaked in wax or paraffin. The candles are hollow and about 10 inches long. Practitioners say that when a candle is placed in the ear and lit, a low-level vacuum is created, which sucks wax and other debris out of the ear canal.
Many claims are made about the effects of candling. However, there is no scientific evidence to support these claims. In addition, there is not even plausible reasoning for how candling might work. For example, proponents say that candling can cure the following conditions:
But, each of these conditions occurs on the inner side of the eardrum—out of reach of candles. For other conditions closer to the site of candling— swimmer’s ear or temporomandibular disorder (TMD) —there is no evidence that it is helpful. Many other health benefits associated with candling are vague or scientifically meaningless. Some examples are "strengthen the brain," "purify the mind," "stabilize emotions," "clear the eyes," "purify the blood," and "release blocked energy."
Using candling to treat ear-wax build-up has also been criticized. According to one group of researchers, the negative pressure needed to pull sticky wax from the ear canal would have to be so powerful that it would rupture the eardrum during the process. After actually measuring the pressure during candling, the researchers found that, in fact, no negative pressure was created. In any case, there are much safer and easier ways to remove wax.
Many doctors have concerns about the safety of ear candling. 21 out of 122 ear, nose, and throat specialists that took part in a survey had seen patients who were harmed by ear candling. Of these patients, 13 had external burns , seven had ear canal obstruction from candle wax, and one had a ruptured eardrum.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers the ear candle an unregulated medical device and has taken action to prevent the sale and distribution of ear candles in the United States. The FDA has also warned consumers about the risk of serious injury from candling. Despite these actions, ear candles are still widely available at health food stores and online.
According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, earwax is healthy in normal amounts and serves to coat the skin of the ear canal where it acts as a temporary water repellent. The absence of earwax may result in dry, itchy ears. They recommend the following tips for proper ear care:
When it comes to ear candling, many doctors agree with the old admonition, “Never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.”
RESOURCES:
American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery
http://www.entnet.org/
National Library of Medicine
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Society of Otolaryngology
http://www.csohns.com/
Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php/
References:
American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery website. Available at: http://www.entnet.org.
Quackwatch website. Available at: http://www.quackwatch.com/.
Seely DR, Quigley SM, Langman AW. Ear candles: efficacy and safety. Laryngoscope . 1996;106:1226-1229.
2/26/2010 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance: Ear candles: risk of serious injuries. US Food and Drug Administration website. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm201108.htm. Published February 20, 2010. Accessed February 26, 2010.
Last reviewed May 2010 by Brian Randall, MD
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