Ear Candling: A Fool Proof Method, or Proof of
Foolish Methods? - Part 2
Part One
Question: Do these claims sound too good to be true?
Answer: Yes.
Dr. Beck, audiologist and Editor-In-Chief of www.healthyhearing.com
and www.audiologyonline.com stated,8 "The claimed benefits of ear
candling are based on dangerous, illogical and incorrect assumptions.
Ear candling is in fact a dangerous, ill-conceived and potentially
disfiguring protocol, with no foundation in science." Dr. Beck
further stated, "Candling demonstrates ignorance regarding the
basic laws of physics and blatant disregard for anatomy and
physiology."
Ernst9 noted ear candles are dangerous. "There are no data to
suggest that it is effective for any condition." The use of ear
candles was discouraged.
In one study designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ear
candling, pressure measurements of the ear canal demonstrated absolutely
no negative pressure from burning candles -- despite claims that earwax
is removed secondary to negative pressure. In this study, not only was
no wax was removed, but in several cases, additional wax was deposited
in the subjects' ear canals. 10
Two procedures were described in the Skeptical Inquirer11 which also
demonstrated that ear candles do not remove wax from ears.
The first test involved a small test tube in which human earwax was
placed. The human earwax was measured prior to testing. The test tube
was heated to body temperature. An ear candle was placed in the test
tube and ignited. After the candle was burned, the candle was cut open
to reveal a brownish yellow deposit near the tip. However, when the wax
was observed in the test tube, and measured again, neither the
appearance nor the weight had changed. The ear candle did not remove
earwax through a negative vacuum.
A second test was done. An ear candle was placed in an empty test
tube and ignited. After the candle was finished burning, it too, was cut
open to reveal the same brownish-yellow deposit as was in the first
test, indicating the deposit was from the ear candle itself.
Dryer1 stated that "negative pressure" to remove wax from ears
would have to be so great -- it would rupture the eardrum in the process
-- a dangerous and painful event!
Reports of Damage from Candling:
Many ears have been damaged from the use of ear candling. Damage has
typically been in the form of burns from hot wax. A 1996 survey of 144
otolaryngologists1 indicated that 14 had seen patients for problems
associated with ear candles. Included were 13 cases of external ear
burns, 7 cases of ear canal blockage from candle wax, and 1 eardrum
perforation.
A specific case reported by Dryer was found in the The London Free
Press, a Canadian newspaper. 1 A woman experienced stuffiness of the
nose and ear pains while scuba diving was referred to a
"qualified" candler, via a health food store. During the
"treatment" she felt intense burning in her ear. At the
emergency room, attempts to remove candle wax from her eardrum failed.
Surgery was required. She recovered fully and luckily, her hearing was
not affected. The practitioner apologized, compensated the woman, and
stopped performing candling.
In 2000, a woman in Toronto paid a "candler" $25 for a
session of ear candling. During the session, hot wax from the candle ran
down her ear canal and adhered to her eardrum. The woman reported it
ultimately took four months to remove the wax entirely from her ear
canal. She now lives with permanent ringing in the ears. 12
An otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat physician) in Toronto had a
patient come to his office in considerable pain. Candle wax had burned
through the skin of the ear canal and the eardrum. The physician spent
the day reconstructing the man's ear, secondary to "candling."
12
Regulatory Bodies:
Ear candles are not approved by the FDA, and cannot be marketed with
health claims If a company makes health-related claims about their
products (i.e., ear candles) they may potentially be considered medical
devices by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In 1993, the FDA seized $6000 worth of ear candles from a company in
Ohio with labeling suggesting adequate and effective use for reducing
ear wax, fever, and infections associated with a ruptured ear drum --
and that their product (ear candles) may be used as a replacement for
surgical tubes inserted in the ear." 1
In 1998, the FDA ordered a California company to remove certain ear
candle products from its catalog because the advertising called them a
remedy for earaches, sinus headaches and allergies. The following
statement was made by the FDA:
"The product labeling is false and misleading in that there is
no validated scientific evidence to support the efficacy of the product
for its intended use. Also, the label of the product contains inadequate
directions for use since adequate directions cannot be written for the
product's purported use. CDRH [The Center for Devices and Radiological
Health ] considers the product to be dangerous when used according to
its labeling, 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."1
Conclusion:
Ear candles do not remove earwax, have no known scientific or medical
benefit, and indeed pose a significant risk. They are quite dangerous
and serve no apparent beneficial purpose.
References:
1. Dryer, L. (2005). Why ear candling is not a good idea. Available at:
www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/candling.html
2. Ashby, C. A brief history of ear candling. Available at:
colonhealth.net/ear_candling/candhist.htm
3. Ancient Process of Ear Candling, an amazing ear cleaning home remedy.
The History of Ear Candling. Available at: www.dakara.com/earintro.html
4. Amasha Oils Ear Candles, The History of the Ear Candle, Ancient Cone
Process. Available at: www.amashaoils.com/earcandles.htm
5. Hancher, L. A look at Hopi ear candles. Available at:
www.lynnehancher.co.uk/aaahop.htm
6. Sheppard, R. (2002). Practical Guide to Ear Candling. Auburn, CA:
Wally's Natural Products.
7. Vitamin Discount Warehouse. Ear candles. Available at:
www.vitamindiscountwarehouse.com
8. Beck, D. (2005). Personal Communication.
9. Ernst, E. (2004). Ear candles: a triumph of ignorance over science.
Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 118(1), pp. 1-2.
10. Seely D.R., Quigley S.M., & Langman A.W.(1996). Ear candles -
efficacy and safety. Laryngoscope, 106 (10), pp. 12226-1229.
11. DeMeo, S. (1998). The pseudoscience of wax removal. The Skeptical
Inquirer. Available at: static.highbeam.com/s/skepticalinquirer/
november011998/thepseudoscienceofearwaxremoval/
12. Colabrese, I. & Wells, J.(2000). Ear Candling. CBC.CA
Marketplace website. Available at: www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/health/earcandle/
