Ear Candles - A guide to Hearing Loss

You may have seen this advertised as ‘Hopi ear candles’and wondered if this can help with your hearing loss.

It is an option although is not endorsed by conventional medicine.

Hopi ear candles or ‘ear candling’ is a treatment offered by complimentary therapists to deal with a range of ear conditions. These include tinnitus, earache, excessive ear wax and sinusitis.

The candle used is not a true candle as you know it but is in fact a tube made from cotton flax and a combination of honey and herb oils such as camomile.

Ear candling treatment

You will be asked to lie down on your side. The candle is inserted into your outer ear and the other end is lit by the therapist using a piece of cloth. As the candle burns it creates a gentle heat, which changes the air pressure within the ear, and causes excess ear wax to soften and fall out of the ear.

The therapist will prevent any molten wax from falling onto you by ensuring that the candle fits through a paper plate which will catch any debris.

The candle is removed and your ear and face massaged. If you suffer from sinusitis then the massage will be concentrated around your sinuses.

A session can last up to an hour although this may take longer if both ears required treatment or there is a very excessive amount of ear wax. You may be asked to place a few drops of warm almond or olive oil in your ear prior to your visit to soften ear wax.

This treatment is suitable for children as well as adults.

What is it not suitable for?

It is not advisable if you (or your child) have undergone a myringotomy, a cochlear implant or experienced a perforated ear drum.

Risks of ear candling

No procedure is 100% safe and ear candling is no exception. Risks include:

  • Burns or scalds from melting ear wax.
  • Ear candle is inserted too deeply into the ear which damages the structures of the ear.
  • Molten wax drops into the ear causing a blockage.

If you are looking to have this treatment then make sure you find a qualified and competent therapist to do so.

Treatments : A guide to Hearing Loss

Hearing Loss

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