Ear Candling?

[dizzle]

http://www.dakara.com/earintro.html

There is a lot of controversy over this. From my research, don't do it. I was almost burned very severely

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/iyh/medical/candling.html

[bar Jonah]

I love it....

History dates it back to Atlantis and Lemuria.

:rilol::rofl::lmbo:

[anthrogirl]

Ear candleing can be very beneficial--but it's best to seek professional help if you've never done it before.


unfortunately, biomedicine tends to frown on alternative therapies--no big suprise there, i guess.


ag

[dizzle]

It doesn't remove ear wax which is what it is touted for. That is a complete fraud. There are persons who have had to have surgery for severe burns. I was burned badly. And there have been experiments done where the candle was burned on it's on and in an ear, and the "debris" was the same. There is not enough "suction" in the process to bring up ear wax.

[flipper]

I think if my ears were troubling me, I'd probably get my doctor to syringe them or something. Sticking a lighted candle in my ear seems a highly risky procedure.

[dizzle]

Yeah call me stupid. Seriously. Turned out my issue was TMJ ultimately which is acting up badly tonight

[anthrogirl]

hmmm. i'm very sorry to hear about your painful injury. i've had friends and patients who have been successful in earwax removal (they actually gained bigtime relief). But i also know that the residue from the cone looks the same with or without earwax removal.

for many groups, the ear cone is also a spiritual practice--i think one of the websites you linked mentions this to a small degree.

i've never used the ear cone--who knows? maybe one day i will (under the supervision of a professional, of course). if i ever do, i will be sure to share my experience with you. IMHO, i think it's definitely best to do this under the care of a naturopathic physician, or other qualified professional. like so many therapies--it's difficult to do this successfully on your own, simply for logistical reasons.

yours,
ag

[anthrogirl]

Dee Dee,

TMJ? How painful!!! I'm so sorry that you are suffering. I don't know where you live, but Kaiser Permenente is doing a study through a grant from the Natn'l Institutes of Health on TMJ in women. Let me know if this sounds interesting to you--perhaps i could link you up with someone in your area for more info.

in good health,
ag

[C. D. Ward]

unfortunately, biomedicine tends to frown on alternative therapies--no big suprise there, i guess.
Well, yes, I would certainly say that it's no surprise that scientific enterprises tend to frown on dubious and unproven alternative therapies.

There is no credible evidence - none - that "ear candling" is an efficacious treatment for any affliction and, to the contrary, there is evidence that it can be harmful (as Dee Dee has testified from her own experience).

See here (http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/candling.html) for a Dr.'s opinion, here (http://www.rcsullivan.com/www/forum/harris/candle.htm) for a medical study of the risks related to this procedure, here (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/iyh/medical/candling.html)for Health Canada's statement of warning to consumers, here (http://www.randi.org/jr/02-09-2001.html)for James Randi's opinion, and here (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=8849790&dopt=Citation)for a PubMed citation of a medical study finding no benefit, yet considerable risk.

[anthrogirl]

thanks for the info, C.D.!

your alternative medicine baffoon,
ag

[dizzle]

my objection is to its being touted for ear wax removal, I do thik that is a sham

however, I will say that the warmth is soothing with a sore ear no doubt- but I would say not worth the burn risk

and yeah the TMJ is painful - not sure if I have time for any kind of study at this pointn though I do get involved with studies with some regularity - for one I got paid a thousand dollars

[Piebald]

What is TMJ?

[Piebald]

Temporo-Mandibular Joint?

[bar Jonah]

You're close. Trans-mandibular Joint, if I remember correctly. I have it too, though probably not as bad as my good sis.

I did used to consider the possibility it was a possible cause of my chronic neck pain. But I'm now aware that the reverse is likely true, or at least that the condition of my neck (significant misalignment of the spine in the neck, that is) being its cause.

[anthrogirl]

I do get involved with studies with some regularity - for one I got paid a thousand dollars

:stunned: Yikes--$1K!!! What did they do to you?!?!?! was it a long study, or what?



or maybe that's kind of personal--you don't have to answer this question...



ag

[NSMinistries]

What is TMJ?
Too Much Jaltus...:eek:

[learning]

A Dr. told me recently, that if my child's ears seem to have a lot of wax, just put a few or couple drops of any vegetable or cooking oil in it (room temperature), and it should drain out on its own. To put a Q-tip in the ear would only push the wax in further and cause possible other damage. A cloth on the outside is OK, Q-tip on the outside OK too, just not IN the ear canal. To be safe, those baby Q-tips are good, where they are too big to go into the ear canal, esp. if a little one is wiggling around.

[anthrogirl]

great advice, learning--the oil trick works!

ag

[dizzle]

:stunned: Yikes--$1K!!! What did they do to you?!?!?! was it a long study, or what?



or maybe that's kind of personal--you don't have to answer this question...



ag


It was a six month long study - and no not personal. It was amazing it paid so well. For a few years I had a problem with getting acne around my cycle. Well birth control pills for years have been prescribed for the unproven officialy claim that they contol female acne. So a totally approved pill ran a study to see if they could prove the acne claims. Totally easy and safe with a big paycheck.

I am in another study right now with birth control pills in which the differences between 7 inert pills and 4 inert pills are being studied. That one is not paying much but I get free doctor's visits and tests which I need cause my insurance isn't covering my preferred doctor, etc.