Ear candles are thin hollow cones made from wax and are widely available online or in health food stores. When the wide end is lit, the heat will create a slight suction and warmth at the narrow end which is placed gently and only barely into the ear. This heat will loosen dried wax and will pull it into the cone along with any other debris. When you are done, you can cut open the tube and see the wax and debris that were removed. Execute extreme caution when trying this process and never attempt to ear candle your own ear without the aide of another person.
Step 1
Lay the person who will be receiving the candling down on their side, with one ear facing up. Cut an X into the center of the paper plate and place over the ear candle near the base. Have the bowl of water nearby as well as the scissors and lighter.
Step 2
Light the wide end of the candle. Place a clean finger over the narrow end for just a second to invoke the suction. Place the narrow end only slightly into the ear canal, never force deeply into the ear. Watch closely as the large end burns.
Step 3
Trim any ash with scissors and quickly place into the bowl of water, Make sure the wax drippings are falling onto the paper plate and not the person receiving the candling. Take the candle out of the ear periodically and check for blockages by pressing and releasing a finger against the narrow end. Carefully it place back into the ear. Push the paper plate down the candle, if needed, to prevent it from catching on fire.
Step 4
Allow the candle to burn down to about two to three inches, which takes about ten minutes. Remove the candle from the ear and quickly dip the the lit end into the water.
Step 5
Open up the candle with scissors and observe its contents, if you choose.
Tips and Warnings
- You can repeat the procedure several times in each ear. A tin pie pan can be substituted for the paper plate. You may wish to keep a fire extinguisher handy in case clothing or hair gets ignited.
- Avoid submerging your head under water or swimming for several days after candling since there will not be enough wax in the ear to prevent infections. The Mayo Clinic does not suggest using this method for cleaning the ears because the candle can push wax deeper into the ear canal and damage the lining or ear drum.
Things You'll Need
- Two People
- Wax ear candles
- One paper plate
- Scissors
- Lighter or matches
- Bowl of water
References
- Mayo Clinic: Ear Candling: Is it Safe?
- World Famous Ear Candling Website
- "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies"; C. Norman Shealy; 1998
