You can now buy an impressive range of candles, not for providing light, but for putting in your ears.
This bizarre therapy involves inserting the candle in the ear (wick end out...) and lighting it. So the theory goes, this will draw out toxins from your body. It seems to have escaped the sellers of this remarkable invention that nothing can be drawn out by this process, and in any case there are no toxin accumulating in your ears. Ear wax is not a toxin. In fact, it provides an important function of cleaning and protecting the skin of the ear canal, also providing some protection against bacteria and fungi. But hey, that's biology and these guys are only interested in a sale. For that, they need a bizarre theory. Er, let's see. Here's one, courtesy of Hopi Ear Candles:
The way in which the Biosun ear candles work to remove ear wax or mucus in the sinuses is through the sound frequency vibration. The sound of the flame creates a vibration that travels through the ear candle penetrating the eardrum which in turn vibrates the inner ear bones at such a frequency it is like an inner ear massage. This then pushes further into the eustachian tubes and the sinuses helping to push out any blocked pressure.
and there's more...
The heat from the ear candle and the vibration help to soften and break up any ear wax or mucus that is blocking the head and ears, and once broken down the body finds it easier to flush the waste through the lymphatic system. This treatment is therefore detoxifying, and is still working in the body upto 48 hours after the treatment.
From another supplier, Global Herbal Supplies, we get a more ambitious claim:
Firstly, the slight under pressure (the chimney effect) inside the Ear Candle and the vibration of the rising air column serve to gently massage the ear drum and promote secretion in the frontal and paranasal sinuses.
This has an immediate subjective effect of regulating and balancing ear pressure. Users often describe a soothing, light sensation in the ear and head area.
Secondly, the locally applied warmth stimulates vascularization, invigorates the immune system and reinforces the flow of lymph. At the same time, important acupuncture points and reflex zones are stimulated.
Alas, there is no chimney effect, no vibrations massaging ear drums and bones, no secretions from the frontal and paranasal sinuses, no invigoration of the immune system, and no increased flow of lymph. Those all important acupuncture points and reflex zones don't exist except in the minds of the believers. It's first class Woo.
Notice how they referred to subjective effect of regulating and balancing air pressure. Do you think they realise that objectively it isn't the case?
Bob Lloyd has studied in four universities and has degrees in Biochemistry, Mathematics, and Computer Science. After a long career in publishing, teaching, and software engineering, he is now retired and lives in Andalucia in the South of Spain with his wife and rather ancient cat.
