Ear Candling - Is it quackery or just homeopathic? Please advise.

[Tessa Aranda]

I've been having problems with my ear for several months now and after 2 courses of antibiotics and several visits to a clinic (I have no health insurance) I'm still having problems. The last clinic doctor said he couldn't see my eardrum because there was too much wax in my ear. He recommended using hydrogen peroxide and water which hasn't done anything. I'm still waking up with a very plugged ear and have problems with hearing and motility. I've had Vertigo for years but this ear problem is making it far worse.

I've tried everything (at least everything I can afford). My friend gave me some ear candles but I'm unsure if I should use one.

Any advise would be helpful. Including the possibility of finding a homeopathic doctor or clinic that takes CMSP.

[Dixon]

My friend gave me some ear candles but I'm unsure if I should use one.
Any advise would be helpful. Including the possibility of finding a homeopathic doctor or clinic that takes CMSP.

My understanding is that both ear candling and homeopathy are quackery, and ear candling has been known to injure people. I'll try to find you some relevant links within a day or two (can't do it right at the moment) and post them here for you.

I sure hope CMSP isn't paying for homeopathy, because as one of the taxpayers who support CMSP, I'd hate to see my money going for snake oil.

Re: ear candles. What color are the ones you have? I'd guess they're more or less the color of earwax, rather than being, for instance, bright red or blue. Did I guess right?

[CyberHippy]

Classic Straight Dope column on the subject

[Barry]

I've had trouble with earwax over the years. What worked for me is Debrox

along with it's squirter thingy. It's quite the sonic and "sensual" experience, not so much unpleasant as intense. Once you get that small (but feels like a boulder) piece of wax out, you'll feel great instantly! It's available at any drug store and most supermarkets.

[Cheingrand]

The "squirter thingy" is a bulb syringe. After the Debrox solution softens the impacted wax, using the bulb syringe filled with warm water (and perhaps 25% hydrogen peroxide) flushes out the softened wax. It may take 5-10 bulb-filled flushes to get out the wax.

Ear candling and homeopathy are pure bunk. Stick with science, not hocus-pocus superstition.

I've had trouble with earwax over the years. What worked for me is Debrox

along with it's squirter thingy. It's quite the sonic and "sensual" experience, not so much unpleasant as intense. Once you get that small (but feels like a boulder) piece of wax out, you'll feel great instantly! It's available at any drug store and most supermarkets.

[Glia]

Definitely get that ear wax out of there before doing anything else. Ear candling? No first-hand experience to share, but it sounds like baloney.

With respect to the ear wax problem, a good naturapathic doctor can do a wash with a syringe and warm hydrogen peroxide. The fizzing of the peroxide does seem to help, but mostly having a jet of water aimed at the right spot can get that stuff loose -- not something that you can do as a self-care project.

As far as the vertigo, I'd try the naturapath before a homeopath. finding a good practitioner of either is a neat trick. Maybe give Melissa Weaver a call; she seems well trained and sensible. She *might* be open to some kind of trade, too.

I've been having problems with my ear for several months now and after 2 courses of antibiotics and several visits to a clinic ...

[davidwhite]

I've had great luck with the Carbamide Peroxide stuff that is sold as "Debrox". Probably won't remove all of the wax right away, if it is really full, but it will soften what is there and make it easier to work with.

I've always liked ear candling, but I am unconvinced it does anything except give me a reason to lay down and let someone else take care of me. Your mileage may vary.

[Barry]

There were some posts made to this thread on Wednesday, however the Wednesday digest did not got out to many members due to a glitch. If you are interested in this topic please click the website button below (in the digest) to see posts that you may have missed.

Sorry for the inconvenience,
Barry

[hales]

Along the lines of ear wax and congestion, I'd also like to recommend xclear nasal spray, and/or Nutribiotic nasal spray and/or ear drops. These are very good products with grapefruit seed extract included in the ingredients. I think they help with various kinds of ear congestion, or candida overgrowth or infection. I've also found that a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in the ear canal with sometimes clear up congestion in my ears.. but it seems to also dry out the ear canal a bit.. so I put a bit of sesame oil in there, to sooth and moisten it, later. btw, you can read the customer reviews on iherb or vitacost (two excellent inexpensive sites for purchasing health products and supplements! Great prices, selection and service, iherb, especially has quick, excellent service!)

https://www.vitacost.com/Xlear-Xylit...us-Nasal-Spray

https://www.iherb.com/NutriBiotic-Ea...5-ml/4718?at=1

thanks for the interesting (to me) posts and suggestions! : )
Scott.

[anathstryx]

Along the lines of ear wax and congestion, I'd also like to recommend xclear nasal spray, and/or Nutribiotic nasal spray and/or ear drops. These are very good products with grapefruit seed extract included in the ingredients. I think they help with various kinds of ear congestion, or candida overgrowth or infection. I've also found that a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in the ear canal with sometimes clear up congestion in my ears.. but it seems to also dry out the ear canal a bit.. so I put a bit of sesame oil in there, to sooth and moisten it, later. btw, you can read the customer reviews on iherb or vitacost (two excellent inexpensive sites for purchasing health products and supplements! Great prices, selection and service, iherb, especially has quick, excellent service!)

https://www.vitacost.com/Xlear-Xylit...us-Nasal-Spray

https://www.iherb.com/NutriBiotic-Ea...5-ml/4718?at=1

thanks for the interesting (to me) posts and suggestions! : )
Scott.

A little warm olive or mineral oil helps to soften and losen the wax (may need to do it for a few days) and then it can be gently purged with warm water in a squirty bulb.

Anathstryx

[markwjam]

I cannot comment on the general efficacy, or lack thereof , of Ear Candling. The one time I did make an appointment with someone in Sebastopol who advertised doing it professionally; I was disappointed to find that the practitioner was absolutely unfocused and inattentive, and it was a waste of time and money because of that. Which brings about a larger discussion: about the need for a self-enforced high standard of integrity, and commitment to full attention on the part of health practitioners, especially in so-called "alternative" disciplines. Especially because much of our training and credentialing is not recognized by the medical community, insurance, the media , and much of the public; I think we need to make a commitment to being excellent. Part of the commitment to excellence involves working on ourselves; also involves total honesty and as complete attention as we can muster with each appointment. I have been shocked to find some practitioners who just don't 'bring it', who are lazy with their attention and intention. It makes us that much more difficult for those of us who are striving to do and give our best........I'd be curious to hear anecdotes & opinions from others...Mark B.

A little warm olive or mineral oil helps to soften and losen the wax (may need to do it for a few days) and then it can be gently purged with warm water in a squirty bulb.

Anathstryx

[anjaloba]

I used ear candles on my partner who had a serious sinus infection for years on and off that never really healed with conventional methods, she also was unable to hear well. I administered ear candles 2x per week for about six months. Her sinus's cleared between the candling and sinus irragation methods. (25cent water botttle with a squeeze tip nipple and 2teaspoons of baking soda lightly washed, never forced. Her ears expelled many weird and interesting particles. Her hearing improved dramatically and Later her doctor looked at her ears and announced that both eardrums that had been perferated had healed! The doc was surprised and said perforated eardrums do not usually ever heal. This is our experience with ear candling and sinus irrigation! Good luck!

[hales]

Thanks for your observations, Mark.
As I massage therapist of 31 years, I certainly agree that some people do not "bring it", ie: their full intention, attention and commitment to excellence and integrity. I admit that it's been an ongoing process for me, as well, in how I relate to clients, deal with various issues relating to boundaries, communication, and areas of expertise (and the limitations, thereof, etc.. ) .
I do feel that I have always tried to do my best with the skills and talents that I have in my field. There is always room for more awareness and expertise, etc., however. Listening seems to be very important, and how we respond to what the client says. Many alternative therapists seem to have their own ideas about their protocols for healing and I feel that many of us, could do a better job at really hearing what the client is asking for, in continuing to get information as the treatment progresses, etc. Of course, that definitely also applies to conventional allopathic doctors, as well.. better listening to the client/patient would often elicit a different diagnosis and a different treatment.

Another big issue that I think has come up before on WACCO discussions is the gap between science and "alternative" belief systems and therapies, etc. I can go as "woo-woo" as most people can, but I feel that sometimes critical thinking is absent.. I do appreciate the truth about such things as candling.. not because I want to rain on someone's parade, or ruin their business, but I think that we need to use our heads and, yes, "discrimination" in the sense of critical, logical thinking about whether something is really going to help us and be worth the money we are spending on it.. whether the practitioner truly believes in what they are doing..

To play the devil's advocate, it's also true that if both practitioner and client/patient believe strongly in a given therapy, no doubt some kind of benefit can and will probably occur! The placebo effect is quite active in both fake and inactive treatments, as well as serious and expensive drugs and therapies.. that is, I think the success of a treatment rests largely on the beliefs and confidence of both the practitioner and the client/patient, no matter what kind of medicine, shamanism, faith-healing, etc., is being practiced.

Scott.

I cannot comment on the general efficacy, or lack thereof , of Ear Candling. The one time I did make an appointment with someone in Sebastopol who advertised doing it professionally; I was disappointed to find that the practitioner was absolutely unfocused and inattentive, and it was a waste of time and money because of that. Which brings about a larger discussion: about the need for a self-enforced high standard of integrity, and commitment to full attention on the part of health practitioners, especially in so-called "alternative" disciplines. Especially because much of our training and credentialing is not recognized by the medical community, insurance, the media , and much of the public; I think we need to make a commitment to being excellent. Part of the commitment to excellence involves working on ourselves; also involves total honesty and as complete attention as we can muster with each appointment. I have been shocked to find some practitioners who just don't 'bring it', who are lazy with their attention and intention. It makes us that much more difficult for those of us who are striving to do and give our best........I'd be curious to hear anecdotes & opinions from others...Mark B.

[wulfworks]

I've found that hydrogen peroxide works well, too. I've used ear candles and they do seem to help. You will see clumps of wax inside, but I always wonder if the wax has just melted off the candle. I'd like to burn a candle without putting it in my ear to see if there is any wax collected inside it. Has anyone tried that?

BTW, "homeopathic" means a highly diluted and potentized substance. It is a specific type of remedy and the term doesn't cover things like ear candles, though people often confuse homeopathic with naturopathic.

[Dixon]

...I always wonder if the wax has just melted off the candle. I'd like to burn a candle without putting it in my ear to see if there is any wax collected inside it. Has anyone tried that?

That has indeed been tried. See the excellent short article that CyberHippy linked to in post #3 of this thread. And notice how conveniently colored ear candles are; they're pretty much the color of earwax rather than any color that could be easily distinguished from earwax. That should set off our bullshit detectors, LOL!

BTW, "homeopathic" means a highly diluted and potentized substance.

Let's be clear here. Many homeopathic potions have been diluted so much that we couldn't expect to find more than one molecule of the "active ingredient" in a sphere of water as big as the distance from the sun to the earth. This means that the possibility of having even a single molecule of the substance in a bottle of the stuff is waaaaaay less than the possibility of being hit by a meteor, or winning the lottery. If there's not a single molecule of the "active ingredient" in it, that's not a dilute solution; it's a bottle of water. Very expensive water. Line up and get your money out, suckers!

[davidwhite]

There can be no response to Love, but more Love!

[Dixon]

And you can't see love either so I guess it doesn't exist.

Rogue, if you're implying that that sort of stupid reasoning (that what we can't see must not exist) is implied by anything I've said, you're committing the "straw man" fallacy (though I prefer the gender-neutral term "straw figure"). That means that you don't like something I've said but apparently can't refute it, so instead you distort my meaning into something less reasonable (the "straw figure") and attack that instead of addressing my real position reasonably. Surely you can do better than this. The appropriate response to some argument you can't refute is to accept it, at least tentatively, as true. Are you open to that?

Also, note that the principle that something's being invisible doesn't make it untrue is irrelevant to this discussion. For one thing, it doesn't imply that everything invisible is true. For another thing, invisibility isn't the issue with ear candling and homeopathy; it's lack of good evidence for their claims and, in fact, the existence of disconfirming evidence. Again, are you open to the possibility that these things don't really work (not counting psychological effects like the placebo effect, which is a different issue)?

[Tessa Aranda]

And you can't see love either so I guess it doesn't exist.

Fine argument if I were asking about the existence of souls or the aspects of my mind. I am however asking about a medical practice for a biological condition. There is little metaphysical qualities to the irritation my ear problems have caused me.

I continue to deal with an annoying "swimmer's ear". I'm still looking for less invasive methods to fix my condition.

[decterlove]

All good but by far the best for earaches is packing a green clay poultice behind the ear and letting it dry. Messy but you can cover it with tissue paper or cheesecloth. I had chronic ear aches from candida in my twenties and it never failed me.

Along the lines of ear wax and congestion, I'd also like to recommend xclear nasal spray, and/or Nutribiotic nasal spray and/or ear drops. These are very good products with grapefruit seed extract included in the ingredients. I think they help with various kinds of ear congestion, or candida overgrowth or infection. I've also found that a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in the ear canal with sometimes clear up congestion in my ears.. but it seems to also dry out the ear canal a bit.. so I put a bit of sesame oil in there, to sooth and moisten it, later. btw, you can read the customer reviews on iherb or vitacost (two excellent inexpensive sites for purchasing health products and supplements! Great prices, selection and service, iherb, especially has quick, excellent service!)

https://www.vitacost.com/Xlear-Xylit...us-Nasal-Spray

https://www.iherb.com/NutriBiotic-Ea...5-ml/4718?at=1

thanks for the interesting (to me) posts and suggestions! : )
Scott.

[Sun Fire Plumbing]

Fine argument if I were asking about the existence of souls or the aspects of my mind. I am however asking about a medical practice for a biological condition. There is little metaphysical qualities to the irritation my ear problems have caused me.

I continue to deal with an annoying "swimmer's ear". I'm still looking for less invasive methods to fix my condition.

I lived with my "Medicine Woman" for years and watched as she used Reiki, Cranial Sacral, Body Work and Ear Candling to help her clients heal. And I was taught about ear candling by her. Many clients would come to her before flying for ear candling, year after year. I personally saw and felt the results especially in the base of the candle when it was done. There was excess wax and the candida spores that have plagued my sinuses for decades. It never did any harm and always relieved pressure on my sinuses. Why Not use ear candling is what I ask?
Gary in Sebastopol

[galephil]

For swimmer's ear: what worked for our family is putting a few drops of alcohol in the ear right after swimming. I was told the water dissolves in alcohol and the mixture then evaporates. That then leaves the ear channel dry and eliminates the itch.
Good luck with that.
Gale

Fine argument if I were asking about the existence of souls or the aspects of my mind. I am however asking about a medical practice for a biological condition. There is little metaphysical qualities to the irritation my ear problems have caused me.

I continue to deal with an annoying "swimmer's ear". I'm still looking for less invasive methods to fix my condition.