Ear candling has been a means to clear the ear canal for many millennia now. Some believe that a candling process has been used for over five thousand years now. Evidence suggest that Egyptians used the basic concept. 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 rolled 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 occasionally various 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 and more.

A few holistic doctors in the U.S. have shifted over to ear candling from irrigation techniques such as syringing. 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.

Children between 0-8 years of age are susceptible to ear related problems, such as ear ache, infection and excess wax. Ear infections are more common in children because their eustachian tubes are shorter, narrower and more horizontal than in adults, making the movement of air and fluid difficult. Bacteria can become trapped when the tissue of the eustachian tube becomes swollen from colds or allergies. Bacteria trapped in the eustachian tube may produce an ear infection that pushes on the eardrum causing it to become red, swollen, and sore.

This situation is known as otitis media. As a result it will be followed by the potential loss of hearing due to bone breakdown in the middle ear, which in short is due to pressure built up from the blocked Eustachian tube, allowing the membrane to rub up against it. Such a situation must be remedied or hearing loss will taking place.

In Summary

Evidence suggests that ear candling is not only an important cleansing process, it also has a great therapeutic side to the treatment, which can help to free the mind and body, release stress, help you to relax and or meditate.