I was alerted today to the interest that pop-culture has in earcandling recently – and since Dr Rachael Dunlop’s entry on the Skeptic Zone blog (don’t forget to check out her ‘Sceptics’ Book’ blog too) has a very vital message for people – read on and pass on the links to her site when you discuss it!
Here’s a screenshot of Jessica Simpson’s ear candling video posted on Twitvid.com – this is thanks to the blog ‘Struck By Enlightening’ who credits the Skeptic Zone podcast for first talking about it.
Apparently, her hair stylist Ken Pave helped her make the makeshift ear candling device in order to remove ear wax from her ear. The ear candling set-up was made from a tapered candle and a Papa John’s pizza box.
Dr Rachael’s entry on the Skeptic Zone blog, gives you the background science:
I’m almost embarrassed to tell you that good science from proper scientists and doctors has been wasted testing these things. The seminal study on the safety and efficacy of ear candles was published in the journal Laryngoscope in 1996. The authors were particularly interested in the claim that the candles create a vacuum so they used a pressure device to measure changes in pressure for the duration of the burn. In 20 trials with 2 different candle types, they detected no negative pressure at any point during the trial…
Edzard Ernst, professor of complementary medicine at the University of Exeter and co-author of Trick or Treatment: The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine
, published a review article in 2004 in the Journal of Laryngology and Otology entitled: “Ear candles: a triumph of ignorance over science”. He concluded; “Ear candling is one of those CAM modalities that clearly does more harm than good…..it’s mechanism of action is first implausible and second, demonstrably wrong..in my view, therefore, it should be banned” (1).
The dangers that could ensure from this practice are fairly obvious, and yet people clearly perpetuate the practice. I even have it on offer at my local shopping center, as a part of an ‘Oriental Massage and Therapy’ stall. It is one thing to shake our head and say ‘the things that people do…’ – quite another to draw upon evidence to help teach others to question it rather than follow what the likes of Jessica Simpson does.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I had several work colleagues recommend candling to me (before they got to know me very well). I’d never heard of it before but was immediately skeptical – or at least incredulous. Naturally I Googled it there and then, much to their astonishment. After I found the facts, two of them admitted it hadn’t worked when they tried it, though they were pushing me to try it just minutes earlier.
Some years later a friend mentioned he’d used it. I said it couldn’t plausibly work – and was demonstrably dangerous. He replied that it felt nice just lying there and relaxing. No mention that it actually worked.
I think there’s some element in much of CAM of feeling better if you can convince others to try it – a bit like smoking and drinking.
Considering that Teh Hubby is battling massive ear infections that could result in tympanic perforations, I am horrified that anyone would even think, for a moment, that ear candling might be a good idea.
Look, people, if you really do have a lot of wax in your ears, and you probably don’t, ear wax serves a good and necessary purpose, go to an ENT. They will remove excess ear wax safely, without the risk of permament ear damage or being set on fire.
People who RUN ear-candling companies should be ashamed of themselves.
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