Pros and Cons of Ear Candling

Recently, I saw some spas and salons that offers ear candling service. I also saw Groupon sites that offers discounts for this procedure. This ear candling is so new to me which is why I looked around in the internet to know more about this thing.

Ear Candling has been used by early Egyptians, Chinese and Tibetians ages ago. Just like our very own “hilot”, ear candling is criticize by some medical practitioners. They said that ear candling can do more harm than good like it actually led to occlusion with candle wax in persons who previously had clean ear canals. Primary care physicians may see complications from ear candling including candle wax occlusion, local burns, and tympanic membrane perforation.  (source: wikipedia)

I was surprised the other day while doing grocery shopping, I saw ear candles being sold at the supermarket.  It’s very affordable that a person will consider to purchase and try it themselves than to going to the spa.

this is not the actual item I saw at the supermarket, but it looks the same

But I read that there are some recorded dangers when you do the procedure alone.

Here are some of them:

• A 1996 survey of 144 ear, nose, and throat physicians, found that 14 had seen patients who had been harmed by ear candling, including at least 13 cases of external burns, 7 cases of ear canal obstruction with candle wax, and 1 perforated eardrum.
• Another case was reported by The London Free Press, a Canadian newspaper. A woman who experienced stuffiness in the nose and ear pains while scuba diving went to a local health-food store and was referred to a “qualified” candler. During the “treatment,” she felt an intense burning in her ear. At the emergency room, attempts to remove wax that had dripped from the candle onto her eardrum failed. Surgery was required, and a hole in her eardrum was discovered, which presumably was caused by the procedure. She recovered fully, and luckily her hearing was not affected. The practitioner apologized, compensated the woman, and stopped performing ear coning.
• Alaska Fire Marshall Gary L. Powell has reported two instances of significant fires associated with ear candling., one of which led to the user’s death. On January 27, 2005 a 59-year-old woman ignited her bedding when she dropped an ear candle that she was attempting to use the ear without any assistance. The candle ignited the bedding and quickly spread to curtains and other combustibles in the room. The woman did escaped but suffered an asthma attack and died in a hospital emergency room.

(source: quackwatch)

On the other hand, the benefits of ear candling that has been reported are the following: relief of sinus pressure or pain in the ears; eased congestion; a feeling of balance, both physical and emotional; an improved sense of hearing, smell and taste. Some even say they can think more clearly after an ear candling. Ear candling may also lead to reduced stress levels, less pain and tension in the jaw and fewer headaches.

So, if you think you want to try ear candling just make sure you don’t have a broken ear drums.  If you decide to try it, remember to be careful.
Did someone here already had the ear candling procedure? How was the treatment and what did you felt after the procedure?