In China, Ear Candling (Er Zhu) is a centuries-old traditional medicine practice, equally common in many other antique societies, such as ancient Greece and Egypt.
Ear Candling (also called Ear Coning) involves placing one end of a cone-shaped, hollow wax candle (tube) into the ear canal and lighting the other end of the candle to create a negative, upwards pressure. The concept is that heat created by the flame causes suction in the cone. The process for one ear takes around fifteen minutes.
The aim of Ear Candling is to clean and detox the ear by drawing ear wax and debris out of the ear canal. Health benefits that are attributed to Ear Candling are relief of allergies, headaches, ear pains and ear infections, tinnitus, hearing issues, sinus problems, colds, vertigo, and stress, among others. Another goal often alluded to is that of “spiritual cleansing,” although no hard evidence is found of such.
Moreover, studies have shown that Ear Candling is in fact ineffective at really getting excess ear wax out, and it can also be dangerous when hot candle wax drips into the ear. As for the health benefits mentioned above, no scientific evidence could be found.
