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History of Ear Candling

In ancient times the process was described as “coning”. Cone shaped instruments made from pottery clay were used. The glazed pottery cones had a double helix carved inside to create a downward spiral energy flow of the smoke and heated air. This would carry the burning herbs down into the ear canal. The action is a counter clockwise flow caused by the vacuum action of the cone. The smoke and the heat cleansed the ear canal and pulled the debris out by vacuum as the air was burned out the ear canal. This process was used in China, India, Tibet, Egypt, the Mayan, Aztec and American Indian Cultures. History dates it back to Atlantis and Lemuria. Cleansing cones or candles are an ancient, universal form of therapy used by nations all around the globe. Some form of wax or some burnable substance was used as the carrier in the cones. Some Indian tribes simply blow herbal smoke down into the ear canal through a cone shaped object; many times it was wrapped up newspaper.

Many cultures considered coning a spiritual practice for clearing the mind and senses. They claimed it cleared the mind and body so you could meditate and open up your sensitivity.

In current times many cultures such as the South American Mexican Indians and some American Indian tribes are using ear coning. Materials vary from pottery cones to roll up newspaper soaked in wax.

In the present time, due to health regulations we have to use disposable candles. Cones or candles are made from strips of unbleached cotton or linen dipped in paraffin and/or beeswax and herbs. The spiral roll built into the candles during production creates the same effect as the pottery cones. In some cultures they have mixed herbs into the wax or placed herbs in the cone during the burning process.

In Germany they teach ear candling as a remedy. In the U.S. this is a relatively new process to the general public. In many cultures ear candling is the remedy of choice for ear infections, Candida, fungus growth, ear aches, etc. A few holistic doctors in the U.S. have shifted over to ear candling from irrigation techniques.

Common ear wax build-up muffles hearing for many. Yeast’s, allergies or just wax build-up, removed from the ear canal regularly will restore hearing, relieve tension or pressure in the ear and sometimes relieve other symptoms not consciously connected with the ear condition before the process. Removal of excessive wax allows better hearing, usually immediately.

Candida can cause a mold/yeast allergy which in turn causes itching inside the ear. Parasites can cause many problems if allowed to grow in the ear. “Swimmers Ear” is quite often caused by growth of bacteria etc. in the ear plus ear wax which stops the clearing of water from the ear. Some have also removed fleas from ears.

Ear aches can be caused by mucus blown into the ear from the Eustachian tube. Ear candling will quite often release the pressure and relieve the pain.

The moist warm dark conditions in the ear cause fast growth of many organisms, if excess ear wax blocks the ear it can cause pressure build-up from various organisms.

The way ear candling works

The spiral of the cone causes the smoke to be pulled down in to the ear canal. This causes the ear canal to warm up and loosen the wax and any other material. As it heats it up, the candle causes suction by creating a vacuum in the ear canal. Air is drawn up from the Eustachian tube into the middle ear then through the porous membrane out into the outer ear. The heat and the vacuum draw out the wax and other materials from the ear canal into the base of the candle. As it burns down you will hear a lot of cracking and hissing which is the process of removing the wax etc. The warmth feels soothing and relaxing during the process. Ear Oil placed in the ear after candling with cotton to cover will protect from further infections from bacteria, yeast’s etc.!