If I didn't lose you at oil pulling or no poo, I might lose you now! Today we're going to light a stick on fire and stick it in our ears while it melts. No, really!

Do ear candles work? If they work, how and why do ear candles work? Are ear candles safe? Do ear candles unclog ears and get rid of ear wax? Can you use ear candles for ear infections, aches, and pressure?

Let's find out!

What are Ear Candles?

Ear candles are made out of linen or cotton and then dipped in wax and shaped into a hollow cone shape. Ear candles have been used for thousands of years by Native Americans, Chinese, and Egyptian cultures for physical support and spiritual & meditation practices.

As with a lot of holistic, traditional, alternative, and natural remedies, ear candling is controversial. Some holistic practitioners and ear candlers think it's a cure all for so many things. While others think it's a hoax that does nothing. I'm sharing my results and you can grab some ear candles and try it yourself to see what you think!

Benefits of Ear Candling

Supporters of ear candling say that the warmth of the burning ear candle creates a gentle vacuum, releasing pressure in the eardrum and encouraging the removal of wax, irritants, debri, and parasites. The warmth of the burning candle also helps to soften the wax, making it easier to remove post-treatment.

Ear candling may offer the following benefits:

Soften and remove ear wax and other irritants
Alleviate ear aches
Alleviate sinus pressure
Relieve swimmer's ear
Reduce ringing in ears
Equalize ear pressure
Reduce vertigo and dizziness
Alleviate jaw pain
Improve lymphatic flow by releasing lymph congestion around the ears and neck
Promote stress relief and relaxation

Risks of Ear Candling

The most obvious risk is fire and burns. Use caution and I highly recommend doing ear candling with an experienced practitioner.
Wax dripping into the eardrum
Damaging the eardrum by pushing the candle too far into the ear

How to use Ear Candles

Reminder: Use caution and I highly recommend doing ear candling with an experienced practitioner.

Supplies
- 2 ear candles
- A bowl of water
- A wet towel
- A lighter
- A paper plate or aluminum pie plate
Cut a hole big enough for your candle to fit into in your plate. Poke the tip of your candle through the hole.
Lie on your side.
Light your candle and stick the tip of the candle in your ear.
Keep the bowl of water and wet towel close by.
Let the candle burn down. It will take about 10 minutes.
When the candle has burned down, toss it in the bowl of water to extinguish it.
Repeat on the 2nd side.

what are ear candles and how to use them

My Ear Candling Results

My mom has done ear candling professionally at her spa and she introduced me to ear candling. She travels a lot for work so her ears and sinuses are always undergoing a lot of pressure from the plane flights. She swears this balances everything out for her. When I ear candle, my ears, sinuses, nose, the whole area feel clean and pressure is released from my temples every time.

After ear candling, there is a lot of wax in the candle. However, the candle itself has wax and some of the wax is from the candle. Here are pictures of the wax after using it in my ear vs. just burning a candle not in my ear:

People that don't believe in ear candling claim that all the wax is from the candle and none is from your ear.

My personal experience is that my ears feel cleaner and my head feels clearer so I believe wax and other debri is removed from my ears. At the very least, the wax in my ear is softened from the heat and easier to remove either by cleaning it or making it easier for my body to excrete it naturally.