Ear candling involves the insertion of a burning candle or a cone of wax-soaked linen or cotton into the affected ear.
Ear candling is not only an ineffective way to remove impacted cerumen, it can actually damage the ear.
Ear candling is not recognized as an acceptable alternative practice by naturopaths, homeopaths, practitioners of Native American medicine, or any other authority on complementary and alternative medicine.
One alternative method that is sometimes touted as a way to remove impacted cerumen is ear candling.
Parents should teach children not to use cotton swabs or other objects to remove wax from the ear, and should advise older children and adolescents against experimenting with ear candling.
Practitioners of ear candling claim that the heat from the burning candle or smoke creates a vacuum that draws out the impacted cerumen.
Some also claim that ear candling improves hearing, relieves sinus infections, cures earache or swimmer's ear, stops tinnitus, or purifies the mind.