Ear candles: a triumph of ignorance over science
Wednesday, April 1, 2009I was amused, and not really surprised, to discover that 'ear candles' are a load of bollocks and do absolutely nothing to remove wax from your ear. The goop at the end of the candle is simply the residue of the candle itself. Worse though is the fact that ear candles have caused serious injury due to hot wax entering the ear canal.
But that's not actually the point of this post. The problem, as I see it, is that this is really important information that people really need to be aware of. How often do you come across information like the above, that is readily available to the general public? You don't.
I came across it via the Young Australian Skeptics, who happen to mention a paper called " Ear candles: a triumph of ignorance over science" which appears in various medical journals. I found a few references to it (and links to buy it) on various abstract search websites like these:
I found information warning people about ear candles on WebMD and Wikipedia. Both of those pages reference the paper as well. But I can't get free access to it.
When so much nonsense is published about "alternative therapies" and distributed widely, it's no wonder people are taken for a ride by these charlatans when useful, factual information is locked up behind academic firewalls.
24 Comments
Last year I tackled our local Pharmacist after reading an article in Choice Magazine.
The Pharmacist was happy to ignore the scientific evidence. He had read various articles but said anecdotal evidence from customers who continue to use them regularly out weighed the detractors...
They are still on the counter!
Wow, kudos to you for actually approaching the pharmacist!
Isn't it amazing that trusted professionals think that "well, people say they feel better" is acceptable proof. I think it's probably nothing more than "well I can make money from this and it's mostly harmless", which makes them nothing more than quacks.
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Thats really not fair considering that none of you have told of your personal bad experiences with teh ear canding method! Also do you know anybody personally who has had a bag experience? I am a therapist who uses ear candles and I have many many patients who swear by the candles. They do need to be used by a trained professional. I have had many many good results and never burned or hurt anybody with them. my advice go and get a treatment and then decide for yourself and never let anybody tell you what to believe.
@CowgirlTherapist, didn't you read?
THEY DO NOTHING.
Why would you even consider using them?
What then, is your idea of a 'good result'? Is it nothing more than your clients telling you that they feel better? And how does one become a 'trained professional' in ear candle administration?
A good result is probably a result people are happy with isn't it?
Why wouldn't you use them if you get benefit from them?
Just because the doctor says its dangerous? because if natural stuff actually works they won't get his payout from the drug companies?
I've had it done and it does actually work.
Finally how come if you just burn the candle by itself you only have the light colour residue but if you burn the candle in your ear you have the light colour residue & the dark coloured chunks the same colour as ear wax?
@CowgirlTherapist : this is called the placebo effect.
Your patients feel better for the same reasons that homeopathy patients feel better;
(1) someone has paid attention to them so their self-worth improves
(2) someone they trust - you, as professional therapist - has given them a treatment, so they trust that they will feel better, and so they convince themselves that they feel better.
It is exactly the same as voodoo; if a witchdoctor shakes a stick at someone who believes in voodoo, that person will convince themselves that they are sick and may become physically unwell. If a witchdoctor shakes a stick at someone who doesn't believe in voodoo, the subject will not be any worse for wear.
The placebo effect is real, and can make a real difference to people's health, but it does not mean that ear candles work. You could use jos sticks, or scented Blu-tack, or potter's clay, or chalk - your patients would give themselves the same benefits.
my son had ear infection constantly for ever on antibiotics and it did nothing istarted him on ear candeling and it dryed the inner ear and has had no ear infection in 2 years they are great .
Wow Di, there are so many things wrong with that.
1: you were using the ear candles for something they never claimed to do
2: you were putting your child at risk (burning his ear drum with hot wax!)
3: how do you even know that they 'dried' his inner ear?
4: how do you know they had anything to do with controlling infection?
Sounds completely irresponsible to me.
If they were a safe and proven method for controlling ear infections no child would ever have to suffer them again. Obviously they're not.
My wife tried these stupid candles and despite following the instructions TO THE LETTER, a piece of burning candle fell down the tube into her ear, causing a burn.
Since then, have found out they are banned in U.S. and canada.
Having suffered from chronic excessive ear wax for over 30 years, I only wish ear candles had been available when I was a child. Sure, there are some dangerous types of candles out there that can drip hot wax, and there are also some safe ones. I can guarantee you that the stuff that comes out in my candles is undoubtedly ear wax and not some 'scam' or 'figment of my imagination'. Happy to send you some of my 'product' as proof Andrew.
Have you people NOTHING better to do than BAD MOUTH Alternative Therapies. It is a persons choice if they use Ear Candles or NOT, people have the right to choose which therapies help them and who are you to say differently. Many people use alternative forms of medecine including Ear Candles and found great releive from them.
MYSELF being one
The Ear Candles that we use are Clean Buring and also contain a small internal filter that should there be any residuie from the Candle itself it is trapped within the Ear Candles and DOES NOT TRAVEL into the Ear Canal.
ALSO Ear Candles are NOT banned in USA or CANADA get your facts straight there are many manufactuers and sellers of Ear Candles in the USA and CANADA and they are NOT banned.
People have the right to choice what they want for their health and their own bodies, who are you and the likes of the TGA to decide otherwise... nothing more than an attempt by the large drug compnaies to keep their profits to themselves and NOT allow Holistic Medecine a place in society.
GET a LIFE and by the way do you work for a LARGE Drug Company ??
Have you actually used Ear Candles ?
We have many, many, many many, many, many , many clients who use them and swear by them.
IT IS AFTER ALL THEIR CHOICE !!!!!!!!!!!
I'm certainly not anti-choice. And I have no vested interest. I edit books for a living.
I just believe people should have an _informed_ choice.
People like you will continue to sell worthless therapies regardless of whether or not they actually work. That's fraudulent and it prey's on ignorance.
The TGA is there for consumer protection; remember the Pan Pharmaceuticals:
http://www.tga.gov.au/recalls/2003/pan.htm
I understand and accept your point of view Andrew and yes people deserve to have an informed choice.
"People like you will continue to sell worthless therapies regardless of whether or not they actually work. That's fraudulent and it prey's on ignorance."
I hope your an atheist...
Yes, for me they have worked 110%. Excellent.
About 13 years ago started visiting doctors with excess wax in one ear, and having it syringed out, in what might be described as a rather brutal way..The problem was the wax started coming back faster, so in the end i was having my ear syringed every 3 months.. Loads of wax came out every time, but i felt this practise could damage my inner ear.
Bought a pack of candles, and used one. Not a lot of wax came out, but the partial deafness was cured. Was impressed. Even more impressed when i didnt need to use another one till a year had passed.
And thats how its gone on over the years.
Live in the uk and just got a stock in, in case they become banned.
My outlook is, try anything once.
Fair enough there are risks, but doing it the doctors/hospitals way also poses risks.
Surely it is up to the individual to make a personal choice.
What about all the pharmaceutical companies that sell hard drugs claiming to remedy a patients ailments and instead cause patients serious, often life threatening problems?
What about pharmaceutical drugs that are conveniently 'reserched' by scientists with a vested interest in that drugs success?
Why don't you do something useful and try and ban what is going on there. Don't you think saving people from a potential heart attack because of bodgy research from 'health professionals' is more important than targeting ear candles because they may only have a 99.5% success rate?
Do something useful, Andrew.
Check out http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/glaxo-funded-backers-of-danger-drug-1923852.html
And re the placebo effect.
Placebo effect proves that the body is capable of healing itself. What does it matter if a person uses candling, homeopathy or any other harmless therapy to instigate the placebo effect? This must be a better alternative than using pharmaceuticals.
And, by the way... how many expensive, hard core pharmaceuticals, taken by a trusting patient, also promote the placebo effect, but with dozens of harmful aide effects??
Alli, that's crazy. What you're suggesting is that anyone should be allowed to sell any old hocus pocus because the body heals itself anyway... I really don't follow you.
pharmaceuticals are marketed only after they've been proven to actually do something - they don't rely on the placebo effect to work.
Alli, you mention the success rate of ear candles... they're successful at doing what exactly?
Oh and what do you know about medical research anyway? Should I accuse you of being a paid shill for the ear candle companies, since you're so adamant?
And gord, you're off your gord mate. Ear candles DO NOT REMOVE EAR WAX. Shall I repeat? THEY DO NOTHING.
It's great that you're problem has been fixed but I'd put money on the fact that is wasn't the ear candles that did it.
I have been using the ear candles for 12 years now and have not once had a bad experience! and yes i have had clumps of wax like little stones come out of my ears.. they are excellent to use before going on a plane trip.I even use them on my children as i would rather do that then put ear buds in their ears and push the wax in..
Lisa Smith, you are being conned. What you see is only candle residue, NOT ear wax. Candles do not generate enough suction or heat to remove anything from the ear canal.
Yes ear buds are bad, don't use them. The easiest way is warm water in the shower. Wax come out naturally on its own. It's how you ears are designed to work.
Sellers of ear candles are perpetuating a fraud.
WOW !! What is it with Andrew ... How can 1 person get so worked up and be so angry about all of this ... Why is he so concerned about others & what they are doing .... do you have nothing else to do...I am here because I, like so many others are choosing to research into self health options and alternative therapies and have done so now for over 20 years ... and so what if someone feels 110% better after this or any type of alternative therapy ... the world would be a much better place if everyone actually smiled a bit more, stopped worrying about everyone else & what they are doing and practised pro-active health instead of re-active health....Go find something else to do with your spare time Andrew
Linda, I like smiling, I like people researching their health options. The only thing I'm saying here is that people are being defrauded of their money for a potentially dangerous and bogus therapy.
Ear candles are bogus.
If you want to talk about ear candles then fine. Do so. But, there's no use bringing anything else into this discussion you're only adding unneeded noise.
And frankly, this is my site and I can do what ever I like with my spare time. Why would I let a stranger dictate what I do from a comment on my blog? That's a very odd thing to say to someone, Linda.