Ear
Candeling
"Ear
Candling," also known as auricular candling or coning,
refers to various procedures that involve placing a cone-shaped
device in the ear canal and supposedly extracting earwax and
other impurities with the help of smoke or a burning wick. The
origins of candling are obscure. Ancient Tibet, China, Egypt,
the pre-Columbian Americas, and even the mythical city of Atlantis
are cited as possible contributors. The procedures supposedly
create a low-level vacuum that draws wax and other debris out
of the ear canal. Some proponents even claim that impurities
are removed from the inner ear, the facial sinuses, or even
the brain itself, all of which are somehow connected to the
canal. Proponents claim that candling can:
relieve
sinus pressure and pain
cleanse
the ear canal
improve
hearing
assist
lymphatic circulation
regulate
pressure
purify
the mind
strengthen
the brain
relieve
pain and fever associated with a ruptured eardrum
cure
swimmer's ear and other ear infections
relieve
earaches
act
as an alternative to "tubes put in your ears"
sharpen
the senses of smell, taste, and color perception
stabilize
emotions
stop
tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
help
TMJ pain and stiffness
relieve
vertigo
fortify
the central nervous system
clear
the eyes
purify
the blood
act
as an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, or antibiotic
cure
Meniere's syndrome
aid
sinusitis
release
blocked energy
reduce
stress and tension
cure
auricular zona (a herpes zoster infection of the ear)
open
and align the chakras
open
the spiritual centers and cleanse the auric bodies.
Products and Procedures
Most ear candles sold in the United States are manufactured
here or in Canada and retail for between $2 and $10. They
can be made of linen or cotton (often unbleached, as practitioners
claim that chlorine is bad for the ears ) soaked in wax or
paraffin and allowed to harden. (Ironically, one manufacturer
uses only pure beeswax, claiming that paraffin is carcinogenic.).
Some candles are colored, which is controversial in ear-candling
circles, though the color of pure beeswax varies. Home varieties
include wax-soaked newspaper and cones of pottery into which
herbal smoke is blown. Some waxes contain herbs or other substances,
including sage, chamomile, rose, rosemary, burdock root, osha
root, periwinkle, jojoba, quassia bark, yucca root, or honey.
Most instructions direct the person undergoing the procedure
to lie on his or her side. A collecting plate is placed above
the ear, and the candle is inserted through a hole in the
plate and into the ear canal. The candle is lit, and as the
wick burns down, it is often trimmed. Some advocate using
a toothpick to maintain a hole in the top of the hollow candle
throughout the procedure. After the candle is blown out and
removed, a cotton swab is used to gently remove visible earwax
from the ear, and "ear oil" is often applied. Some
practitioners place the still-hot candle in a bowl of water,
and claim that everything in it which is not obviously beeswax
is earwax, toxins, dead skin, drug residues, or remnants of
past yeast infections, none of which has been verified. Nearly
all package directions indicate that the ear will feel warm
but not hot, and that the experience will be relaxing or even
spiritual in nature.
