Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It’s DonePurported BenefitsSafety & Side EffectsAlternativesFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It’s Done
Purported Benefits
Safety & Side Effects
Alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions
Ear candling is an alternative approach for removingearwax. It involves placing a lit, hollow candle in your ear to create a low-level vacuum that is supposed to soften and remove earwax, along with other impurities.
While popular, there is no evidence that ear candling works or is safe. Medical experts advise that you do not try it.
This article explores how ear candling is done, the truth about the purported benefits of ear candling, and the possible safety concerns and side effects of this practice.
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How Ear Candling Is Done
Ear candles are hollow tubes that are about 10 inches long. They are also called ear cones orauricularcandles.
Ear candles are made of cotton or linen tightly wound into a cone shape. The candle is soaked in beeswax,paraffin, or soy wax, and allowed to harden.
An alternative medicine health provider may offer ear candling. Some people also attempt it at home, though this is not advised.
Here’s what happens during an ear candling session:
How to Safely Remove Earwax
Ear Candling Benefits
Proponents of ear candling say that it softens earwax and sucks out wax and impurities from the ear. With that, they claim that ear candling can treat:
Supporters of the practice claim that the dark, waxy substance sometimes left in the hollow candle stub after a session is earwax and other debris—proof that ear candling works.
However, it’s unlikely that ear candling benefits any of these conditions because they involve themiddle ear, sinuses,Eustachian tubes, andnasal passages. Theeardrumseparates these structures from the external ear canal, where the candle is placed. That means any changes in the external canal would not affect anything beyond this membrane.
Some ear candle manufacturers claim that it’s the smoke from the burning candles that dries the ear canal. They say that the smoke stimulates your body’s natural excretion of:
Again, there is no evidence to support any of these claims about ear candling.
Earwax: How to Remove It
Ear Candling Side Effects and Safety
Verywell / Lara Antal
The American Academy of Otolaryngology does not support you trying ear candling because of the lack of evidence that it works and its safety risks.
Serious potential risks of ear candling include:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against using lit candles close to your face, saying that ear candling carries a high risk of “potentially severe skin/hair burns and middle ear damage”—even when the candle is used according to the manufacturer’s directions.
While some practitioners use a plate to catch dripping wax and a towel or cloth for extra protection, the risk of injury is still there. There’s also a risk that lit ear candles could start a fire.
In a published case report, ear candling left a patient with:
The patient’s providers concluded that ear candling “can do more harm than good,” and they recommended healthcare providers discourage ear candling.
Ear candling is especially dangerous for children, who are at higher risk for injuries and complications associated with use.
What Causes Too Much Earwax in Kids?
The Best Ways to Remove Wax
You don’t need to remove earwax at all. Earwax is beneficial as it:
Your ears have a self-cleaning system that naturally removes earwax whenever needed. Most people don’t need additional cleaning.
Earwax buildup can cause occasional discomfort in some people, however. A breakdown in the self-cleaning system of the ear can cause what’s known as cerumen impaction (when your ear canal gets clogged with earwax).
Symptoms of anearwax blockageinclude:
If you think you have too much wax in your ears, your healthcare provider can take a look inside your ear and use instruments specifically designed to remove earwax, if needed. They might also recommend over-the-counter ear drops that can soften earwax and allow it to exit the ear more easily with gentle irrigation (such as during a shower or using a bulb syringe).
Never use a cotton swab, as this can push earwax further into the ear.
What Does Earwax Do?
Summary
Ear candling is an alternative practice that involves placing a lit, hollow candle in your ear as a way to remove earwax. Despite what supporters say, there is no evidence that ear candling has benefits or that it can treat any health condition.
The risks of ear candling, including burns, a perforated eardrum, and hearing loss, are serious. If you’re having discomfort you think is related to wax in your ears, skip candling and talk to your healthcare provider.
How to Treat Earwax Buildup from Hearing Aids
Frequently Asked QuestionsAfter ear candling, people may notice a white powdery substance. While some proponents of the practice claim that it’s mold, yeast, or mucus, it’s likely just residue from the candle wax.There is no evidence that ear candling can treat asinus infectionor any other health condition.Dark earwax usually just means that it’s old. However, if you’re worried about the color of your earwax or think it might have blood in it, talk to your healthcare provider.
After ear candling, people may notice a white powdery substance. While some proponents of the practice claim that it’s mold, yeast, or mucus, it’s likely just residue from the candle wax.
There is no evidence that ear candling can treat asinus infectionor any other health condition.
Dark earwax usually just means that it’s old. However, if you’re worried about the color of your earwax or think it might have blood in it, talk to your healthcare provider.
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6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Import alert 77-01.Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): earwax (cerumen impaction).Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg.2017;156(1_suppl):S1-S29. doi:10.1177/0194599816671491Nee ST, Athar PP.Ear candling: a non-proven method for benefits.Clin Surg. 2016;1:1088. doi: 10.25107/2474-1647Rafferty J, Tsikoudas A, Davis BC.Ear candling: should general practitioners recommend it?Can Fam Physician. 2007;53(12):2121–2122.American Academy of Pediatrics.Ear candles.Harvard Medical School.3 reasons to leave earwax alone.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Import alert 77-01.Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): earwax (cerumen impaction).Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg.2017;156(1_suppl):S1-S29. doi:10.1177/0194599816671491Nee ST, Athar PP.Ear candling: a non-proven method for benefits.Clin Surg. 2016;1:1088. doi: 10.25107/2474-1647Rafferty J, Tsikoudas A, Davis BC.Ear candling: should general practitioners recommend it?Can Fam Physician. 2007;53(12):2121–2122.American Academy of Pediatrics.Ear candles.Harvard Medical School.3 reasons to leave earwax alone.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Import alert 77-01.Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): earwax (cerumen impaction).Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg.2017;156(1_suppl):S1-S29. doi:10.1177/0194599816671491Nee ST, Athar PP.Ear candling: a non-proven method for benefits.Clin Surg. 2016;1:1088. doi: 10.25107/2474-1647Rafferty J, Tsikoudas A, Davis BC.Ear candling: should general practitioners recommend it?Can Fam Physician. 2007;53(12):2121–2122.American Academy of Pediatrics.Ear candles.Harvard Medical School.3 reasons to leave earwax alone.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Import alert 77-01.
Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): earwax (cerumen impaction).Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg.2017;156(1_suppl):S1-S29. doi:10.1177/0194599816671491
Nee ST, Athar PP.Ear candling: a non-proven method for benefits.Clin Surg. 2016;1:1088. doi: 10.25107/2474-1647
Rafferty J, Tsikoudas A, Davis BC.Ear candling: should general practitioners recommend it?Can Fam Physician. 2007;53(12):2121–2122.
American Academy of Pediatrics.Ear candles.
Harvard Medical School.3 reasons to leave earwax alone.
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