On occasion a patient will ask me if ear candling really works. The short answer is – No.

Ear candling, also known as thermal-auricular candling or coning, is considered as an alternative medicine practice. Alternative medicine practice uses products that claim to have the healing effects of medicine and is not based on scientific evidence. During ear candling, a cone shaped device is inserted in the ear canal and supposedly extracts earwax and other impurities with the help of smoke or a burning wick. Medical research has shown that the practice is both dangerous and does not help remove earwax or alleged toxins. This is why importing or selling ear candles for medical reasons is illegal in Canada and the United States.

For more information check out the 2004 article from Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada:

http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/drugs-products-medicaments-produits/procedures/ear-oreille-eng.php?_ga=1.65660974.1889418670.1396370302