DIY is all the rage nowadays and everyone appreciates a quick easy fix. Sink Leaking? Just search YouTube for the suitable plumbing tutorial, buy the recommended tools, and go to work! A plumber would most likely be a little more efficient but then you wouldn’t get that sense of self-satisfaction that comes with doing it by yourself.
But that feeling only continues until your sink starts to leak again. Because, as it so happens, in some cases a DIY fix is no substitute for the well-sharpened skills of a professional.
Sometimes, that’s difficult to admit. Ear candling or earwax candling is a perfect example of a DIY fix that individuals keep coming back to. It doesn’t really sound very pleasing, does it? So, just what is ear candling, and how is it probably not the best thing ever? Well, let’s dig into that.
Ear candling – what is it?
Everyone has had the feeling of a plugged ear now and then. Occasionally, it occurs when you’re sick and your ear fills with mucus. Too much earwax can also trigger this feeling and that can occur for a variety of reasons. This can sometimes be really uncomfortable. Your hearing might even temporarily go. It sort of stinks!
As a result, some people think they have encountered what seems to be a natural and novel option: ear candling. The idea is that a special hollow candle is put in your ear (non-burning end). Somehow, the blend of heat and the hollow style of the candle changes the air pressure inside of your ear canal, pulling the earwax or mucus out.
It should be immediately noted that ear candling is not encouraged by healthcare professionals. If you’re looking for proof that ear candling really works and draws out wax, you won’t find any. Almost every single hearing healthcare professional, as a result, will emphatically advocate against utilizing this technique ever. (Does ear candling help with sinus pressure? Also no.)
The FDA also firmly advocates against this approach.
What are the disadvantages of ear candling?
At first, ear candling might feel completely safe. It’s not as if it’s a huge flame. And you’re utilizing “specialized” equipment. And there are lots of people online who maintain that it’s completely safe. So, how could ear candling be dangerous?
Sadly, there’s no getting around the fact that ear candling can be absolutely dangerous. What are the negative effects of ear candling? Here are just some of the (possibly painful) ways that ear candling can impact your health:
- Your Eardrum may accidentally get punctured: Whenever you insert something into your ear, you put yourself at risk! You may accidentally puncture your eardrum, causing significant discomfort and damage to your hearing. Often, this is something that must be addressed by a hearing professional.
- You could seriously burn your face: There’s always a pretty good possibility that if you’re holding a flame up near your ear, you might burn your face. Everybody has accidents once in a while. Severe burns on the face aren’t the only hazards, you could also catch your hair on fire or trickle hot wax into your eye.
- You can cause severe burns to your ear: The fire and the melting ear candle wax are quite hot. Your ear is extremely sensitive and significant burning can occur if the flame or the hot wax gets someplace it shouldn’t.
- Your ear can have surplus candle wax drip in there: Even if you don’t get burned, residual ear candle wax can get left behind in your ears. This Leftover wax can cause serious discomfort and, eventually, impact your hearing.
- The earwax can be pushed even further into your ear: In much the same way that pushing a Q-tip in your ear can pack the earwax into an ever-more-dense blockage, so too can pushing a specialized candle into your ear. Your earwax problem can be worsened by earwax candling, in other words! Other complications, from hearing loss to ear infections can also be the outcome.
So, is ear candling endorsed by hearing healthcare professionals? Not at all! Ultimately, earwax candling isn’t simply ineffective, it’s utterly dangerous.
So how should you get rid of earwax?
Earwax is actually a good thing. It’s good for your ears in normal quantities. It’s only when there’s an excessive amount of earwax (or it isn’t draining well) that you begin to have problems. So what should you do if utilizing a candle is a bad idea?
Consult a hearing specialist if you have a persistent earwax blockage. They might recommend some at-home alternatives (including using saline or mineral oil to loosen the wax, allowing it to kind of slide out on its own). But in some circumstances, they will do a cleaning for you.
We can eliminate the wax safely with specialized tools and training.
In general, you should avoid techniques like using cotton swabs and earwax candling. Nothing smaller than your finger should be put into your ears unless advised by your hearing specialist or physician.
How to help your ears feel better
Schedule a consultation with us if you have surplus earwax that’s causing you some distress. We will be capable of helping you clean any stubborn earwax out of your ears and get you back to feeling normal.
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References
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/health-fraud-scams/ear-candling-ineffective-and-risky