Would you be willing to undergo a homeopathic medical treatment that, among other things, promises to relieve sinus pressure and pain, cleanse the ear canal, improve hearing, act as an alternative to tubes in the ear, stop tinnitus, relieve vertigo, cure Ménière's syndrome and aid sinusitis?

But wait, there's more! This treatment also has been touted to purify the mind and blood; sharpen the senses of smell, taste, and color perception; and cure cancer.¹

Before you say "yes," you should know that the treatment has also been called the following:

• a potential health hazard,
• completely and totally ineffectual,
• dangerous to health,
• false and misleading,
• deceitful,
• unsafe,
• a triumph of ignorance over science,
• of no benefit,
• a sham,
• a fraud, and
• a reaffirmation of how gullible people can be.

The treatment, known as ear candling, is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is opposed by the American Academy of Otolaryngology. The FDA has ordered American manufacturers to stop marketing the products required to perform the procedure and has banned their import from other countries. Yet, the products are still readily available, both online and in health food stores, and are used routinely by hair stylists, massage therapists and health food store employees. The curious consumer who researches the subject will find a wealth of outrageous claims, such as those mentioned above.

To provide patients with the facts on ear candles and to prevent them from harming themselves, a brief review of the history, process and claims regarding candling is offered below.

History of Ear Candling

Visiting various Internet sites showed that the history of ear candling is rather obscure. Keep in mind that this information has been obtained from somewhat questionable sources and should be viewed in that light.

In general, ear candling was used in ancient Tibet, China, Egypt and India, and by the Mayan, Aztec and American Indian civilizations as far back as 2500 B.C. Those groups used ear candling for spiritual purification before rites and rituals. Interestingly, not much is mentioned regarding their use in cerumen removal, which is the primary intended use of ear candling today.

Originally, according to Internet sites, ear candles were cone-shaped instruments made from clay. They were formed with a double helix carved inside that would create a downward spiral of energy flow. Wax or some other burnable substance was used inside of the cone to facilitate the downward spiral of energy flow. Smoke from burning herbs would flow into the ear canal via a counterclockwise draft caused by the vacuum action of the ear cone. The smoke and heat cleansed the ear canal and pulled debris out by the vacuum as air burned outside of the ear canal.

Due to health regulations, according to one Internet site, ear candles are now made from disposable materials. Other Internet sites make no mention of the clay cones. In particular, one reported that ear candles may have been developed shortly after the domestication of the honeybee due to the fact that beeswax is a main ingredient in the candles. This site described the candles as being made from beeswax and unbleached cotton cloth, and that ancient Egyptians used linen.

Yet another site stated that ancient Egyptians used rushes at first, then found that they would burn longer if they dipped the rushes in wax first. The history of ear candles is somewhat conflicting and rather obscure, as mentioned previously.