The Dangers of Ear Candling

There are a lot of things about it that are annoying, and some people even find it gross. However, excess wax has got to come out one way or another or it could end up causing you more issues than ever before with your hearing. Most people use a cotton bud or get an audiologist to sort out their ears for them, but some people have started using ear candling.

Now, this is not a recommended practice because it can be dangerous. In this article, we’re going to look a little more into ear candling, and why it can be dangerous, so keep reading if you would like to find out more.

What Is Ear Candling

Ear candles are hollow cones made of fabric that is covered in some kind of wax. The most common types of wax are beeswax, paraffin wax and soy wax. The pointed end of the candle is placed in your ear, and the wider part that is out of your ear is lit. When the candle is lit, the process is known as ear candling, and those people who partake in such a practice claim that the warmth created by the flame actually creates a suction. The suction then pulls the earwax and other impurities that may be in there out of the ear canal and into the candle.

Most people place a circular guard about two thirds of the way down to avoid any dripping wax, and are usually made of aluminum foil. People do not perform this on themselves as it can be dangerous to try and do as you need full vision to be able to perform.

Why Is It Dangerous?

First of all, there is no scientific evidence that suggests ear candling actually pulls the debris from the ear canal. In fact, when there was a study conducted, there was no reduction in earwax at all, with some people even experiencing a buildup of more wax from the candle. However, even though this is the case, there is a lot of evidence to suggest that it’s extremely dangerous.

When conducting research, they received negative reports from people who have experienced things such as perforated eardrums and burns. If you take part in ear candling, then you are putting yourself at risk of things such as burns to the face, eardrum, inner ear and outer ear, candle wax falling into the ear and causing a plug, hearing loss and damage to your eardrum.

This is especially true for small children. This group is even more at risk of injuries, so you must avoid this at all costs.

Is it Worth the Risk?

Even though these facts are readily available to everyone, there are some people who still partake in ear candling, so is it worth the risk? The answer is no, not even to give it a try. The long-term potential damage that you can experience alone is not worth it, but when you add in the time and money that it takes, it’s certainly not going to be worth it in the end.

Stick with Earwax Removal

Instead of exploring options like ear candling, you should use more typical forms of earwax removal. Earwax removal is a painless and quick procedure that can be completed by an audiologist. This will usually involve droplets of warm water being poured into your ear. The whole process takes just a few minutes. You should start to see immediate improvements once this process is complete.

This can improve changes to your hearing and reduced levels of discomfort. That will be the case if you do constantly find that earwax hurts your ears or makes them feel uncomfortable. This works with any type of earwax and can even remove wax that is compacted.

Speak to an Audiologist

If you have a buildup of earwax and you’re not sure what to do to get rid of it, then you need to speak to an audiologist. It’s likely that they will recommend a professional wax removal the same way that we have in this article, but if it gives you peace of mind than double check anyway.

If you would like to find out more about hearing health, or you need any kind of assistance with yours, get in touch with Salyer Hearing Center. You can call us today at Sylva: 828-586-7474, Franklin: 828-524-5599 and Murphy: 828-835-1014. A member of the team is ready and waiting to answer any and all questions that you may have.