ear candleing

[Missy9579]

has anyone ever done this? For months now my BF feels like his ear is blocked, and there is sometimes slight ringing in it,,,,

We have tried wax removal drops, and they sometimes make a difference for a day or 2, or sometimes dont.

I had heard about the ear candles, and read about them, so we went and bought them today.

I read the directions, and did it. I read several actually online and in the box...and it all says you should be able to see some wax on the candle or at the base of the ear...but I saw nothing!

The lady at the store said sometimes it takes 2-4 candles before you get results.

has anyone ever done this sucessfully? And if so , was there something I am missing? or a way you got good results?

[Frankie]

I've heard that ear candling is not a good idea (with the heat, flame, hot wax, and all) and is just not effective. I would recommend visiting an Ear/Nose/Throat doctor. They can easily vacuum out wax and debris buildup in the ear and make sure nothing else is wrong other in the ear. If you want to try home remedies first, vinegar/water solutions or a drop of baby oil can help soften and flush out wax. If your boyfriend has any history of ear trouble, he shouldn't try anything himself but should see an ENT.

Good luck!

[SamanthaNY]

I'd never heard of this, and some quick internet searches give me the overwhelming impression that ear candling is ineffective and probably dangerous.

Why Ear Candling Is Not a Good Idea (http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/candling.html)
Wikipedia, ear candling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_candling)
The Straight Dope, ear candling (http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_098.html)

I'd throw all that stuff out and get Tim to a doc.

[AnnMarie]

50\50 hydrogen peroxide and boiled water (or distilled) bubbles my ears clean as a whistle. the doc even complimented my clean ears :)

DO NOT USE Q-TIPS! All they do is shove the wax in deep.

I just want to be crystal clear that you mean boiled but not BOILING HOT water... that could be tragically stupid if someone wasn't reading for comprehension. lol

:)

[loves2laugh]

i did the ear candle thing- it does clean out the wax you have to hold the candle between your fingers while using that hand to cover the ear. we used about 8 inch candles and you let it burn till its about half way done and yes when you pull it out of the ear there should be wax at the bottom- also your boyfriend should hear crackling in his ear- it feels so good!
now the best thing really is to do the peroxide and water thing and keep flushing his ear until he has relief- it might get painful if the wax is really packed in there tight- that was a painful experience i will never forget!

[TraciJo67]

I'd never heard of this, and some quick internet searches give me the overwhelming impression that ear candling is ineffective and probably dangerous.



It is. I learned that the hard & painful way :(

If you are having trouble with your ears, please see an ENT. Candling feels nice while it's being done, but for those of us who are already having trouble with our ears, it can cause major problems. I had a simple ear infection caused by fluid trapped behind my ear wax. A few days after having the ear candling done, the infection was so bad that the entire left side of my face was swollen. The ENT that I was subsequently referred to told me that there was candle wax so tightly packed into my ear that it may as well have been fused there.

[Missy9579]

he wont go to an ENT. He has some health insurance, and he has only been to the doctors twice in the last few years,both times for his ear being painful. They do nothing, except tell him not to use q tips.

I think we will try the water/peroxide thing tomorrow and hopefully he will get some refiel.

Thanks for the suggestions

[Paul]

Two suggestions,

The ringing in the ears may indicate an ear infection, In this case he would need to seek out medical advice. Before you go for medical assistance have him try an Ear Syringe. This is what I use for my stubborn ear wax.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/buyinprivate_1958_159791404

This item is easily located at most Drug Stores. I have always had problems with wax build up in my ears and could not resolve the issue until I started to use an ear sryinge. Here is how the ear syringe is used. Fill the bathroom sink with about 3 inches of warm water. Fill the syringe with water from the sink. Take the syringe and use it to spray a steady stream of water into the ear over the sink. It may take several attempts to dislodge the wax, but eventually you will see the wax as it ends up in the sink. If you use the syringe regularly you should have little or no problems with ear wax.

One additional note: make sure you purchase the adult size ear syringe. There are smaller syringes intended for infants and children. The smaller syringes do not produce a stream of water with enough force to dislodge stubborn adult ear wax.

[TraciJo67]

Violet, I forgot to mention that my ENT told me to clean my ears regularly with olive or baby oil. This is because my ears do not self-clean, and the resulting wax is very hard. The oil helps to prevent a wax build-up from happening.

One thing to keep in mind: If the wax buildup is so bad that hearing is affected, no amount of home remedy is going to help. At this stage, the person affected REALLY needs to see a doctor and have the ear canal irrigated.

[tnekkralc1956]

...is a hoax. Samantha's articles are as good as they get. My family has been into alternative medicine since the sixties and this one is as credible as Y2K was. The wax in the bottom of the candle stub is residual wax from the melting candle. The hollow design of the candle pulls the wax inward as it burns and very little runs down the outside, if at all. The powder is left over ash from the wick; it is not candida. The only effects people get are either placebo or more (hot) wax in their ears:doh: . Needs to end up on snopes.

[Mishty]

...is a hoax. Samantha's articles are as good as they get. My family has been into alternative medicine since the sixties and this one is as credible as Y2K was. The wax in the bottom of the candle stub is residual wax from the melting candle. The hollow design of the candle pulls the wax inward as it burns and very little runs down the outside, if at all. The powder is left over ash from the wick; it is not candida. The only effects people get are either placebo or more (hot) wax in their ears:doh: . Needs to end up on snopes.

yep yep

My mom forced me to lie still while she did the ear candle thing once or twice a year. when I would complain she would show me the wax and I would get grossed out..it was only a few years ago I realized the wax was from the candle itself:doh:

My ears always felt...weird afterward. Almost empty, but in a terrible kind of way.

[Missy9579]

50\50 hydrogen peroxide and boiled water (or distilled) bubbles my ears clean as a whistle. the doc even complimented my clean ears :)

DO NOT USE Q-TIPS! All they do is shove the wax in deep.


Do you flush the ear with this? Or put a few drops in and let it work?