Ear candling

Ear candling is the practice of placing a hollow, lit candle in the ear canal, purportedly to remove earwax or impurities. Studies find no evidence that it works, and it can cause injury.

Earwax: Earwax is a protective secretion produced in the outer ear canal that traps debris and helps maintain skin health. It is the substance ear candling is commonly claimed to remove.
Cerumenolytic: A cerumenolytic is a substance used to soften or break down earwax. Wax-softening drops are one option for uncomplicated earwax buildup.
Ear canal burn: An ear canal burn is thermal injury to the skin lining the passage from the outer ear to the eardrum. Hot wax or flame-related heat can burn the canal during candling.
Evidence-based medicine: Evidence-based medicine integrates research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient circumstances in healthcare decisions. Clinical testing, rather than the procedure’s traditional explanation, determines whether candling works.
Negative pressure: Negative pressure is pressure below the surrounding ambient pressure. Candling proponents claim the flame creates enough of it to draw wax from the ear.
Ear irrigation: Ear irrigation is the flushing of the ear canal with fluid to remove debris or wax. Clinicians may use it to clear suitable cases of earwax impaction.
Ear obstruction: Ear obstruction is blockage of the ear canal that interferes with sound transmission or examination. Candle wax can drip into the canal and create an obstruction.
Clinical trial: A clinical trial is a prospective study that evaluates health interventions in people. Controlled testing found no effective suction and no useful wax removal from candling.
Combustion: Combustion is a chemical reaction in which a fuel reacts with an oxidant, releasing heat and often light. The candle burns beside the ear, producing heat, smoke, and residue.
Manual earwax removal: Manual earwax removal uses instruments to extract wax from the ear canal. It provides a controlled alternative when wax needs to be removed.

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