Health Risks And Side Effects Of Ear Candling

Ear candling, also known as ear coning or thermal-auricular therapy, is a treatment often used in alternative medicine. Ear candles are approximately ten inches long and consist of a hollow fabric cone soaked in paraffin or wax. During an ear candling procedure, one end of the candle is lit, and the other end is placed into the patient's ear canal, remaining in place for fifteen minutes. While proponents of thermal-auricular therapy say the procedure softens earwax and pulls it out of the ear canal, no scientific studies have ever confirmed this. The practice is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and many types of ear candles have been blocked from being imported into the United States. Healthcare professionals note ear candling is a dangerous and ineffective method for the removal of earwax, and it could even make a patient's existing ear problems worse. Anyone who believes they may have an issue with their hearing or an accumulation of earwax should consider seeing their primary care doctor or an ear, nose, and throat specialist for a proper evaluation.