Ear candling

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James Mally, N.D., ear candling a patient in an experiment to determine its efficacy.
James Mally, N.D., ear candling a patient in an experiment to determine its efficacy. [1]
Material that appears after ear candling, sometimes alleged to be earwax and toxins, was found to be residue from the candle itself in certain brands of candles.
Material that appears after ear candling, sometimes alleged to be earwax and toxins, was found to be residue from the candle itself in certain brands of candles.

Ear candling, also called ear coning or thermal-auricular therapy, is an alternative medicine practice claimed to assist the natural clearing of earwax from a person's ear by lighting one end of a hollow candle and placing the other end in the ear canal. According to medical researchers, it is both dangerous and ineffective.[2]

Contents

[edit] Procedure

One end of a cylinder or cone of waxed cloth is lit, and the other placed into the subject's ear. Usually the subject is lying on one side with the treated ear uppermost and the candle vertical, perhaps stuck through a paper plate or aluminum pie tin to protect against any hot wax or ash falling down the side. However some have the subject sit up, keep the candle nearly horizontal, and watch for dripping wax. Some candles have an internal filter to catch debris. The flame is cut back occasionally with scissors and extinguished between two and four inches from the subject. Its proponents claim that the flame creates negative pressure, drawing wax and debris out of the ear canal, which appears as a dark residue.

An ear candling session can last from 15 minutes to 45 minutes, during which time a series of 1 or 2 ear candles may be burned for each ear. The experience is described as being unusual, but pleasant and relaxing.

The Colon Therapists Network website says "You may hear some crackling and popping" and "you may feel some heat during the ear candling session." It cautions that ear candling should not be practiced on people who have ear tubes, perforated ear drums, or artificial ear drums, and says ear candlers should use an otoscope to examine their client's ears before and after the session.

[edit] Criticism

The Spokane Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic conducted a research study in 1996 which concluded that ear candling does not produce negative pressure and was ineffective in removing wax from the ear canal.[2] Several studies have shown that ear candles produce the same residue when burnt without ear insertion and that the residue is simply candle wax and soot.[3][4][5]

In October 2007, the FDA issued an alert identifying Ear Candles (a.k.a., Ear cones and Auricular candles) as "dangerous to health when used in the dosage or manner, or with the frequency or duration, prescribed, recommended, or suggested in the labeling thereof" ... "since the use of a lit candle in the proximity of a person's face would carry a high risk of causing potentially severe skin/hair burns and middle ear damage."[6]

Prof. Edzard Ernst has published critically of ear candles noting that "There are no data to suggest that it is effective for any condition. Furthermore, ear candles have been associated with ear injuries. The inescapable conclusion is that ear candles do more harm than good. Their use should be discouraged."[7]

A 2007 paper in the journal Canadian Family Physician concludes "Ear candling appears to be popular and is heavily advertised with claims that could seem scientific to lay people. However, its claimed mechanism of action has not been verified, no positive clinical effect has been reliably recorded, and it is associated with considerable risk. No evidence suggests that ear candling is an effective treatment for any condition. On this basis, we believe it can do more harm than good and we recommend that GPs discourage its use."[8]

[edit] Legal status

In Europe, some ear candles are regulated as medical devices, tested for safety and bear the CE mark (93/42/EEC).[9] The CE mark is mostly self-issued by the manufacturer.[10]

While ear candles are widely available in the U.S., selling or importing them with medical claims is illegal.[6]

In a report, Health Canada states There is no scientific proof to support claims that ear candling provides medical benefits ... However, there is plenty of proof that ear candling is dangerous. It says that while some people claim to be selling the candles "for entertainment purposes only", the Canadian government consider that there is no reasonable non-medical use, and hence any sale of the devices is illegal in Canada.[11]

[edit] Origin

Although manufacturers of ear candles often refer to them as "Hopi" ear candles, there is no such treatment within traditional Hopi healing practices. Vanessa Charles, public relations officer for the Hopi Tribal Council, has stated that ear candling "is not and has never been a practice conducted by the Hopi tribe or the Hopi people".[12]

The Hopi tribe has repeatedly asked Biosun, the manufacturer of 'Hopi Ear Candles' to stop using the Hopi name.[13] Biosun has not complied with this request and continues to claim that ear candles originated within the Hopi tribe.[14]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Healing Arts Institute - Article: Ear Candling
  2. ^ a b Seely, D.R., Quigley, S.M., Langman, A.W. (1996). "Ear candles: Efficacy and safety". Laryngoscope 106 (10): 1226-1229. doi:10.1097/00005537-199610000-00010. PMID 8849790. 
  3. ^ On Ear Cones and Candles
  4. ^ The Straight Dope: How do "ear candles" work? (1995). Retrieved on 21 March 2006.
  5. ^ CBC article on ear candling injuries
  6. ^ a b DETENTION WITHOUT PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF EAR CANDLES. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.
  7. ^ Edzard Ernst (2004). "Ear candles: a triumph of ignorance over science". J Laryngol Otol. 118: 1-2. PMID 14979962. 
  8. ^ J. Rafferty, MB CHB, A. Tsikoudas, FRCS DLO, and B.C. Davis, FRCS ED (12 2007). "Ear candling: Should general practitioners recommend it?". Can Fam Physician 53: 2121-2122. PMID 18077749.  }}
  9. ^ http://www.mdc-ce.de/cert_md1.htm MDD, the Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC - Introduction
  10. ^ Goldacre, Ben. "Waxing sceptical", The Guardian, 2004-03-04. Retrieved on 2007-02-25. 
  11. ^ It's your health: Ear Candling. Health Canada. Retrieved on 2007-11-15.
  12. ^ Bromstein, Elizabeth. "Wax on, wax off: Does candling clear canal or burn it?", NOW Magazine (www.nowtoronto.com), 2005-01-13. Retrieved on 2007-02-25. 
  13. ^ "The Hopi Cultural Preservation Office is not aware of Hopi people ever practicing 'Ear Candling.' Biosun and Revital Ltd. are misrepresenting the name 'Hopi' with their products. This therapy should not be called 'Hopi Ear Candeling.' The history of Ear Candeling should not refer to as being used by the Hopi Tribe. Use of this false information with reference to Hopi should be stopped." http://freespace.virgin.net/ahcare.qua/index5.html
  14. ^ "The Hopi, the oldest Pueblo people with great medicinal knowledge and a high degree of spirituality, brought this knowledge to Europe with the professional involvement of BIOSUN." http://www.biosun.com/english/ohrkerzen.htm

[edit] External links