Ear Candles: The Dumbest Folk Medicine Remedy Ever

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 1 person | Log in to rate

Ranked #3,686 in Arts , #79,419 overall

Ear Candles: The Dumbest Folk Medicine Remedy Ever

So what are ear candles? Basically, they are long tube-shaped candles that you stick in your ears. The idea is that the burning candle will clean your ears for you by drawing out the earwax.

Only problem is, it doesn't really work. Worst of all, it is very dangerous. There is the risk of hot candle wax dripping into your ear, causing internal burning and damage to the eardrum. There was at least one incident where a woman set fire to her home when she accidentally dropped her ear candle. 

How Ear Candles "Work" 

What exactly is the candle supposed to be doing while it's in your ear? The theory has something to do with negative pressure: The rising column of air inside the candle is supposed to produce a vacuum that draws out the ear wax, debris, and other nastiness living inside your ear.

There are other theories too. One is that the warmth of the candle helps loosen up the gunk in your ear. The smoke that enters your ear canal is also supposed to dry out your ear canal, which in turn causes your ear to produce more wax and excrete all those impurities.

Why Ear Candles Don't Actually Work 

The ear candle does not produce a vacuum. It doesn't suck out your sticky earwax. If it really worked, the negative pressure needed would rupture your eardrums. And that would be a bad thing.

However, there is a very good chance that you will get more wax in your ear by using the ear candling method.

But What About the Wax Drippings? 

The gunky yellow ear candle drippings look nasty, which convinces many people that they must be working. Proponents claim that those drippings consists of the earwax and other impurities that the candle sucked out of your ear.

Researchers have found that the candle drippings really are just that: Candle drippings. As bad as the gunk looks, the candle isn't getting it out of your ear.

Ear Wax is Actually a Good Thing 

Ear wax actually isn't a bad thing... our bodies produce it for a reason. The most obvious benefit of ear wax is that it helps clean out our ears. It also provides lubrication that helps protect the skin inside the ear canal from burning, itching or drying out.

The ear wax is excreted very slowly, and our jaw movements actually help speed the process along. Chewing gum can actually be beneficial for this reason, since it keeps your jaw moving!

Sometimes there's too much wax buildup, though, which can cause hearing problems. The best way to deal with that problem is to have a doctor clean out your ears with a syringe and warm water.

Refer to Wikipedia for more info...

The Ear Candle Myth on YouTube 

This is a video on YouTube of a burning ear candle. Some people have complained that the ear candle is not being burned at the right angle. However, it's worth noting two things: One, different sources claim that you can burn ear candles either horizontally or vertically. Second, this is really just to prove that the wax you see inside the ear candle is produced by the candle itself.

The Ear Candle Myth

Finally! Proof that sticking a candle in your ear and lighting it on fire is a bad idea.

Runtime: 199
36893 views
85 Comments:

curated content from YouTube

Ear Candle Poll 

Loading poll. Please Wait...

The Top Five Reasons Ear Candling is the Dumbest Folk Medicine Remedy 

  • It involves sticking candles in your ears.
  • You could get hot wax in your ears.
  • Which means you could get internal burns and damaged eardrums.
  • It won't even remove your earwax!
  • Besides, it makes you look silly.

Ear Candling on Wikipedia 

Ear candling, also called ear coning or thermal-auricular therapy, is an alternative medicine practice claimed to improve general health and well-being 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. Claims that the practice removes earwax have been disproved. The claim by one manufacturer that ear candles originated with the Hopi tribe has also been disproven. "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."

read the rest of the Wikipedia article

Where's Your Candle? 

What do you think about ear candles?

submit
Show All