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Related Experiment Videos

Ear candles--efficacy and safety

D R Seely1, S M Quigley, A W Langman

  • 1Spokane Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic, WA 99204, USA.

The Laryngoscope
|October 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary
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Ear candling is an ineffective and dangerous alternative treatment for earwax removal. Studies show it fails to remove earwax and can cause serious ear injuries, including wax deposition.

Area of Science:

  • Alternative Medicine
  • Otolaryngology
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Ear candles are a popular, inexpensive alternative therapy for earwax removal.
  • The purported mechanism involves creating negative pressure to draw out cerumen.
  • Potential cost savings drive interest in this treatment modality.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of ear candles for cerumen management.
  • To assess the safety of using ear candles.
  • To determine if ear candles generate negative pressure.

Main Methods:

  • Tympanometric measurements were used in an ear canal model to assess pressure.
  • A limited clinical trial involving eight ears was conducted.
  • A survey of 122 otolaryngologists gathered data on ear candle-related injuries.

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Main Results:

  • Ear candles did not produce negative pressure in the ear canal model.
  • No cerumen was removed from the external auditory canal in the clinical trial.
  • Candle wax was deposited in some participants' ears.
  • Otolaryngologists reported 21 injuries linked to ear candle use.

Conclusions:

  • Ear candles offer no benefit for earwax management.
  • The use of ear candles is associated with a risk of serious ear injury.