Ear Candling
19/11/19
Remarkably, according to proponents, if you are suffering from "sinus congestion, colds, ear aches and infections, candida, headaches, lymphatic congestion, sore throats, mucus, sinus infections or [poor] balance and equilibrium", lying on your side and sticking a lit, conical, hollow wax candle in your ear will help. Apparently "it is a soothing experience that reduces stress and tension and also sharpens mental functions" too! The technique is very old and goes back to ancient "China, India, Tibet, Egypt, the Mayan, Aztec and American Indian Cultures". Amazingly, "history dates it back to Atlantis and Lemuria" - all according to Emma Goodman of EmmasHolisticHealing.weebly.com. Sometimes it is referred to as "Hopi Indian candling" but for the record, the Hopi Native Americans completely refute the idea that it was ever part of their culture.
At the risk of giving this ridiculous (and potentially dangerous) treatment some credibility it doesn't deserve, the claim is that either the burning hollow candle creates a vacuum that sucks out excess wax (and/or negative energy, depending on the practitioner) or, the candle is infused with healing herbs and the smoke is drawn down the cone and absorbed (?) through the ear. Either way they claim it has some beneficial effect.
Do we really need to tell people DO NOT PUT LIT CANDLES IN YOUR EAR! Besides the potential for burning, hair going on fire, hot wax scalding or irreparable damage to ear canal, ear drums etc, there has been at least one fatality from the practice. In 2005, Naomi Ardean Selby of Bethel, Alaska died in a house fire started by an ear candle. There is absolutely no justification for the claims made by practitioners - who of course charge a healthy fee for the process - and ear wax is a good thing. It protects our sensitive inner ear from contaminants and is naturally expelled over time. If you do suffer from any of the conditions noted above please seek professional medical help and not a quack who will charge you £50 to turn you into a human candelabra.