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Ear Candles

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Old 25th Apr 2008, 18:34
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Ear Candles

Woke from my slumber the other night (radio on) and heard the back end of a caller who rang in praising the beneficial results he had obtained using 'Ear Candles' . It seems they draw more wax (hope your not eating) out of the ear than drops.

Anyone heard of these, where can one buy them? From what I recall, it seems the flame is inside some tube and draws the wax using the vacuum created by the flame. Thanks in advance.

Daz
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Old 25th Apr 2008, 18:43
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I've heard of Hopi ear candles, don't know how they work but a friend swears by them.
Bit of information on them;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast...ges/hopi.shtml
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Old 25th Apr 2008, 18:59
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Thanks for taking the time Lost Ethics to post the link, much appreciated.

Daz
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Old 25th Apr 2008, 19:08
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Asian supermarkets (a lot of them are made in India) or purveyors of barber supplies.
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Old 25th Apr 2008, 19:34
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The "best" ones are made by "Biosun" in Germany.[From Beeswax and Cotton] They actually act as a chimney.
One end is lighted and inserted [by a friend/therapist etc] and is left to burn down to a mark on the candle. It is then extinguished. You can then unroll it and observe the results.[looks a little bit like crushed Demarara sugar]
G/f and me give each other a [hopi] treatment about once a month.
Hope this helps
watpiktch
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Old 25th Apr 2008, 23:00
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if you can show me robust evidence that hopi candles work, I'll buy you all a drink
everyone on pprune
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Old 26th Apr 2008, 04:30
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Hmmm. Looks like a duck. Sounds like a duck. I'll bet it can QUACK like a duck, too!
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Old 26th Apr 2008, 05:03
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Call me a cynic, but where is the evidence base for this candle-ing of the ears?

Must be published in the same journals as where you can find the evidence on eustachian tube massaging.

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Old 26th Apr 2008, 07:34
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I had a very blocked ear a couple of months back. Purchased some ear candles after a strong recommendation, however they didn't work. Relied on good old syringing to do the job.

If my ear hadn't been quite as blocked they may have worked however drops that loosen and eliminate wax are probably (i) cheaper; (ii) easier to use; and (iii) safer (if you're a DIY person).

Regards.

VH-MLE
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Old 26th Apr 2008, 08:39
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What a load of tosh.

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.
Abraham Lincoln,
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Old 26th Apr 2008, 10:42
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You still need to use the candles in conjuction with some ear drops; again the candle sellers will normally sell some ear drop oil which is normally expensive.

Similary for syringing you have to use drops first to soften the wax.

My own Doctor recommends olive oil as a good natural alternative.

Chinese Herbalist will sell the ear candles for about 10/12 pounds but you can purchase on line for about £6 a pair.
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Old 26th Apr 2008, 11:12
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They're great!

I've used these things a couple of times and they're really good.

You can buy them from the chinese medicine places that seem to have sprung up in every town over the last few years. They're about £4 a pair - I'd urge all the sceptics to try them before casting judgement.

On the medical side I don't know if they'll help if you have a history of problems but they certainly improved my hearing noticeably as well as being extremely relaxing (the noise in your ear is lovely). I got about the equivalent of a heaped teaspoon of wax out of each ear. Truly foul.

Just PLEASE don't do them on your own - you need someone else to put them in for you and make sure they don't burn too close to your ear.
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Old 26th Apr 2008, 16:05
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I've used these candles in the past and did some research on them.
I remember seeing a tv programme where after they were used, the candle was opened up and what was left inside was supposed to represent the wax that had come out of the ear.
HOWEVER if you try lighting a candle up-and don't put in your ear, you'll find the same stuff in the candle-ie it's a load of rubbish.
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Old 26th Apr 2008, 17:08
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"Ear candling appears to be popular and is heavily advertised with claims that could seem scientific to lay people. However, its claimed mechanism of action has not been verified, no positive clinical effect has been reliably recorded, and it is associated with considerable risk. No evidence suggests that ear candling is an effective treatment for any condition. On this basis, we believe it can do more harm than good and we recommend that GPs discourage its use......, There is no scientific proof to support claims that ear candling provides medical benefits ... However, there is plenty of proof that ear candling is dangerous. It says that while some people claim to be selling the candles "for entertainment purposes only", the Canadian government consider that there is no reasonable non-medical use, and hence any sale of the devices is illegal in Canada" - From Health Canada.

I've tried earcandles my self, and I do not think I would do it again, rather let your ENT flush your ears.

Be careful, the hearing is easy to damage, hard to repair....
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Old 26th Apr 2008, 17:40
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I used to love syringing ears....it was one of the very few times I got to cure a patient.

It is slightly frowned upon nowadays. There is a risk of damaging the delicate ear drums, the risk is small, but if you do rip a hole in 'em, they can be a pain to repair. The biggest cause of perforation was the metal tip flying off the syringe-usually 'cos someone forgot to check it was tight.

Insertion of drops (Olive oil if your a Southener, Rapeseed oil if from up North) for as long as possible (2w usually) is recommended, but in my experience patients usually end with a syringe eventually.

Be vary wary of shovin' anything down your lug hole before someone checks it with an otoscope.


Off the subject, I've heard some really bad things about Chinese Herbs. Anyone know if they really are indoctrinated with large doses of prednisolone really?
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Old 26th Apr 2008, 22:29
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"Be vary wary of shovin' anything down your lug hole before someone checks it with an otoscope"

Or as an ENT specialist once said to me

'never put anything in your ear that's smaller than your elbow'

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Old 26th Apr 2008, 22:46
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I've heard they are good but I wouldn't trust myself to do it . It would probably be safer and easier if you got the 'professional' do it for you where you bought it
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Old 28th Apr 2008, 08:21
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I tried them...found them of NO benefit whatever. A waste of cash in my opinion.
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Old 28th Apr 2008, 13:39
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Health Canada doesn't think much of them either

http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/f...statement.html
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Old 4th May 2008, 17:32
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Also another who has tried them and they did diddly squat, it was part of a package of spa treatments so thought I would give it a go, doesn't hurt and isn't unpleasant but seriously couldn't see or feel any benefits from it.
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