Baking Soda, Oregano Oil
★★★★★
One formula I've tried with success is as follows:
I take my finger (my pinky) and barely wet with water and dab that into baking soda. I insert into each ear. There are other ways to get a bit of baking soda (barely moistened) into ears (q-tips) but the digital way is my favorite. I let that dry completely in each ear for four or five hours. I clean the outside of the ear to get rid of the white residue but don't touch the soda deeper in the outer ear canal. I just let the baking soda work its absorbing action for four or five hours.
Then I get out my Oregano Oil and using the dropper drip one drop into each ear. Yes it stings. Some people might not be able to take the stinging so if too much I'd swish out with an ear syringe of warm water if oregano is too painful. But although it stings, I think it is killing any infection in the outer ear canal that contributes to itching.
Now in a day or two an amazing thing happens (at least in my case).... a film is emitted from each ear. I might have to reapply two or three times in a month, but my ears are free from itching and any crusty buildup.
Bobby Pin
I have had heavy earwax buildup all of my life. I do a monthly peroxide drop treatment that works wonders. I was career army so I also took Murine ear drops to the field with me. Both break up the ear wax and allow it to naturally work its way out of the ear canal to where you can swab it up with a Q-tip. Far better than mining with a bobby pin.
Bobby Pin
★★★★★
(Cleveland, Ohio)
04/30/2011
You are not supposed to stick things in your ears, but the bobby pin does work. Please be very, very careful while scraping the insides of your ears. Do not go down too deep.
(Sapulpa, Oklahoma)
02/29/2012
★☆☆☆☆
I am a Registered Medical Assistant and used to work for an ear specialist. He showed us a video on ear/ER cases. The #1 most frequent ear damages are caused by using Q-Tips. Several were men and women who were in their bathroom with a Q-tip in their ear, possibly, not too far in. Then one of their kids comes RUNNING into the bathroom slamming the arm and q-tip DEEP into the ear canal and puncturing the ear drum.
Bobby Pins ARE JUST AS DANGEROUS, POSSIBLY WORSE BECAUSE THEY ARE METAL!!! I can see brain injuries from a bobby pin being SLAMMED DEEP INTO THE EAR DRUM and possibly on into the brain.
The old saying: "DON'T STICK ANYTHING INTO YOUR EARS LARGER THAN YOUR ELBOW!!!"
Michele
To registered medical assistant, as opposed to giving up, using qtips and bobby pins, folks need use use caution, like locking the door....standing next to an unlocked door with a qtip or bobby pin inserted, is simply a recipe for disaster, if there is more than just yourself in the home, you need to do it behind a locked door or in a room alone and no chance of someone barging in and causing a catastrophe from horseplay or otherwise....especially with children around.
(Usa)
01/02/2016
I was looking here on EC for suggestions in softening earwax on a daily basis to keep the wax moist.
My earwax is getting very dry as I get older and I intuitively thought a drop or two of oil in the ears before bed would help, but wondered what type oil others might have used for maintenance purposes (if you will) vs. occasional earwax removal.
Anyway! I stumbled across a poster who was scolding those who mentioned using Q-tips and/or bobby pins for wax removal saying that they could perforate their eardrums, etc.
She wrote:
The old saying: "DON'T STICK ANYTHING INTO YOUR EARS LARGER THAN YOUR ELBOW!!! "
I think it's safe to assume that she meant anything smaller than your elbow. :D
Happy (and very healthy) New Year all! :)
P.S. Though I didn't find any mention of an oil recommended for daily use here on EC, I found suggestions on another site, from an ENT, who suggested baby oil or olive oil for daily use. I went with the olive oil since baby oil has fragrance added. Besides, babies don't have the fine motor skills or the chemistry knowledge to create oil anyway. (Haha) :)
For the hard ear wax, you could use, coconut oil, just to coat the inside of the ear canal, gently and slowly with a qtip, just lock yourself in the bathroom, then there cannot be any accidents....option 2 is, put a drop of peroxide there to soften it, don't soak it, just one drop should keep it soft.
(Uk)
10/06/2016
I thought baby oil was made from babies, which is just plain (medi)evil.
But, seriously, my local health clinic recommends warm olive oil, only (as often as is practical, in the case of compacted cerumen (e.g. from wearing plug-type ear defenders). They also recommend against using commercial ear drops.
Some 'health' websites mention using rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) mixed 50/50 with vinegar! Are they serious? I use isopropyl alcohol to clean electronic equipment.
Other than olive oil, almond oil or glycerine are safe options; but never push any kind of bud or probe into your ears: you cannot see in there, and risk perforating the tympanic membrane.
(Usa)
10/24/2017
I have been sticking cotton swabs into my ears all my life and have not put a hole in my head. There is only ever earwax toward the ear opening. But if you fluff the end of the swab and be very careful you will find that the fluff on the end noticibly contacts the drum with a scratchy sound. So you can tell how far it is safe to insert the swab. This is more difficult if the inside of the ear is swollen, in which case it hurts before the swab ever gets to the drum. But peroxide works well for the itch the swab can't reach. First they take away the merry-go-round, then the cotton swab... What is next? Pit bulls? Shaving?
Dried Cranberries
★★★★★
Every 5-6 years I get so much earwax build-up in one ear that I think I've gone deaf. The cranberries (well, actually Craisins, which are dried cranberries) virtually eliminated my earwax altogether, and fixed my 'deafness' after 4-5 months of no hearing out the left ear!
(Australia)
11/04/2020
(Tennessee)
11/05/2020
Dear Russell,
Your question led me to the original post, which I have never read.
I have always had trouble with ear wax but noticed in recent months that it hasn't been much of an issue. I didn't think anything of it until I read the above post.
Interestingly, I have been consuming dried cranberries ("craisins" from Costco) for months. I put them in my steel cut oats, which I eat 5 days a week. I don't really know how many I am eating a day - maybe a little over 2 tablespoons?
Here is my recipe for Steel Cut Oats, by the way. It is my very favorite breakfast. I started making it when I got an Instant Pot.
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup Craisins
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/4 t salt
I put all of this in the Instant Pot before I go to bed. I use the "multigrain setting" and set the timer for 6 hours. In the morning it takes it a little over an hour to cook. (time to heat the water, 40 minutes at high pressure, 10 minutes natural pressure release.)
This recipe makes 3 servings. I add a little bit of plant butter and maple syrup right before serving.
If no one joins me for any, I save the leftovers in the fridge and reheat some for a snack or breakfast another time. :)
Ear Cones
★★★★★
Ear Candles - What is the Truth?
I hope by now that you have heard about those crazy, wacky things called Ear Candles … and, boy have they caused quite the commotion! In this blog, I am going to review and examine the debate surrounding ear candles, prove what the legal status of ear candles are in the USA, clarify exactly what ear candles do and do not do and I am going to share with you why and how to use ear candles. Of course, in the end it is up to you to decide for yourself about ear candles.
I am Doc Harmony and for the last 26 years, I have dedicated my professional, and a lot of my personal life, to Ear Candles. Why? In 1992, my son was very ill with ear infections for about 1 year. After being prescribed another batch of antibiotics, he began vomiting up the medicine. I had had enough. At this time, I went to Dr. Berryhill (our family Naturopath since I was 16) and he introduced me to ear candles. Of course, I thought this was a hoax but at this point in life, I had no other options. I wanted my son to be healthy! So I used 4 ear candles on my son and he has not had another ear infection to this day. Simultaneously, Dr. Berryhill called on me numerous times to encourage me to make and sell ear candles. I took his advice and thus began Harmony Cone Ear Candles.
Life was good, handcrafting and selling ear candles, raising my family, working and living together sustainably upon the land. I birthed 2 babies at home, became vigilant about natural health, and was homeschooling all three children. I went back to school and obtained my Masters in the Science of Natural Health. The company was successfully expanding and this allowed me to have the opportunity to help single mothers and other homeschooling families create their own microeconomic communities by handcrafting ear candles at home with our special technique and, of course, love.
In 2006, I began writing my Dissertation on Ear Candles, expecting this to be an easy paper to write (since I thought I knew everything about ear candles!). But I discovered that I had a lot more to learn about ear candles when when I came across Dr. Seely, a renowned doctor at Spokane Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, who orchestrated the now famous survey of 122 otolaryngologists in the USA and their observations about ear candles. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8849790 Needless to say, I was dumbfounded because I was like everyone else when he discovered that there was “no removal of cerumen from the external auditory canal" … What! Ear candles do NOT pull wax out of the ear?
I was confused as I had witnessed many people use my ear candles for years with great success for a variety of reasons. So I became committed to discover what ear candles were actually doing by writing my dissertation on ear candles. Thus began a very lonely campaign with my team to educate the retailers and consumers about ear candles.
During the last 26 years, my team and I, have exhibited our ear candles at hundreds of natural health, massage, chiropractic, natural professional tradeshows with tens of thousands of visitors attending. We have worked tirelessly to educate and share the truth about ear candles with retailers and consumers across the world. We have exhibited as far north as Sweden and as far south as Argentina, Brazil and Australia.
I have probably candled more ears than anyone in the world, considering that at every tradeshow, I candled one ear every 15 minutes. (I wish I had documented all of them for the Guinness Book of World Records!) I know I have exhibited in at least 120 tradeshows. Each tradeshow is at least 22 hours long. 22 hours x 4 ears is 88 ears and ear candles. That equals at least 10,560 ears candled by me personally. I am confident that the number is higher considering family, friends, and store demonstrations. I believe that the number is closer to 15,000 plus. There were NEVER any injuries and 99% enjoyed the experience.
This is why, when the FDA sent 16 warning letters about ear candles to vendor, manufacturers and retailers and it included us, I was shocked! We were not claiming to pull wax out of the ear. We were confused and scared. However, everyone at Harmony Cone Ear Candles decided to lead the way with research, funds and a commitment to Personal Freedom and sue the FDA for Constitutional Violations. We asked other manufacturers that had also received warning letters from the FDA to participate but we were the ONLY manufacturer to stand up against the FDA and eventually, stop them from outlawing the sale of ear candles. (Note: We did have a bit of financial support from Regal Labs and Becks Natural.)
Consider, we had made every single ear candle by hand and used them for 26 years regularly with no issues amongst friends, family and associates. We also have a 3-step process to ensure that they are handcrafted properly.
We could not help but wonder, why is the FDA including us?
We are NOT just selling ear candles, we are in the trenches … educating …
Mostly everyone that uses ear candles for the right reasons know that they are relaxing. This is why I am writing this … I want to share our story about Harmony's Ear Candles and how facetiously the FDA has tried to have them removed.
NOTE TO EARTH CLINIC TEAM: I WOULD LIKE TO SEND YOU THE REST OF THE INFORMATION BUT IT IS ABOUT 30 SOMETHING PAGES AND I AM NOT SURE IT WOULD FIT HERE. I CAN ALSO MAKE THE INFO NEUTRAL ... BUT I AM HARMONY SO I AM NOT SURE HOW I COULD/WOULD CHANGE THAT BIT OF INFORMATION. PLEASE CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE: www.healthyenergyamazinglife.com ... ONLY BITS AND PIECES OF THIS COMPLETE STORY IS UP YET. IT SHOULD BE GOING UP NEXT WEEK.
EC: Hello Doc Harmony,
Earth Clinic readers would be interested in learning some of the testimonials from ear candles, but probably not 30 pages of it (which should stay copyrighted on your site anyway)! We've had quite a bit of feedback over the years that ear cones do NOT pull out ear wax! We'd love to read what you have learned over 26 years of use. Thank you!
Ear Cones
★☆☆☆☆
(Uk)
03/03/2014
To debunk a few myths and misunderstandings re ear cones/ candles...... I have been a professionally trained and practising auricular (ear) therapist for more than 15 years and am quite well aware of the attitude towards candling, negative and positive. The first and most important part of this therapy is whether a therapist has been trained professionally as opposed to a 2 hour course or reading a book! The 2nd is the type of candles that are used - 100% natural ingredients as a candle (tube) not a cone. When both are correct then the wax will be gently removed from the ears, equilibrium will be restored, leaving no negative side effects. A 'crackling' in the ears after a treatment, as reported by one correspondent, suggests that too much wax was removed - we need some wax in our ears - and incorrect cones/candling were used. She also mentioned the therapist told her she could tell by the removed wax the patient had had many ear infections. This is total rubbish and said I suspect to impress the patient! The ONLY readings you can get from the wax is whether it is impacted wax (it will be a dark colour and quite hard) or just excess wax (which many people have). Nothing more. In all my years of treating hundreds of patients, I have never had anyone dissatisfied.
(Massachusetts)
08/14/2016
Ear cones are fine as long as you find a practitioner that knows what they are doing. For example, I know of someone who got her ears done and they held the candle straight up and wax fell into her ear and it was painful. I couldn't believe this even happens since I am a practitioner myself. Even if you are not a practitioner, the cones come with instruction and do say to never hold the cones in such a way. They must always be at a 45 degree angle. I myself had many surgeries as a child that destroyed my right ear. The wax never naturally comes out because they messed up my ear canal. I always had ear infections year round as well. This is the ONLY method that has worked for me. I started doing this back in 2002 and have not had an ear infection since. I also agree with everything Rev Dr Tilly has replied with as well. I too have never had an unhappy client.
Ear Cones
★☆☆☆☆
(Blue Springs, Mo)
03/05/2012
That's really interesting to know. I've used ear cones in the past and I've always wondered if that really is earwax inside the candle.
(Maui)
06/09/2015
If you want to know if it really removes the wax from your ears, buy an otoscope. They are cheap, and easily found on Amazon. You can look at your ear canal all the way down to the tympanic membrane before and after a treatment and see the results. Beyond that, you can buy ear candles at health food stores. Why would you pay someone to do it, then complain? DIY, and get your own supplies is my suggestion.
(Pennsylvania)
10/20/2018
★☆☆☆☆
Ear Cones
(Middle, Fl)
11/04/2011
I knew someone whom did it and was satisfied with results, if I am not mistaken it is ear wax at the end, because she was amazed at how much came out.
I was not to convinced on putting something lit near my ear so I never tried it, but I do the hydrogen peroxide and like the results. I lay on my side and pour in my ear canal, wait 10 min and pour it out on a towel and then clean your ear out, but make sure you dont push the wax back in. My boyfriend was having trouble hearing out his ears, I did it to him and now no problem.
I read, thats what some doctors do to patients when there is infection in the ear!
(Brentwood, Ca, Usa)
11/04/2011
Hi P. I used to do this a lot in the past. It's not ear wax at the end of the ear cone candles, it's bee's wax from the candle! I tested it by burning down a candle without putting it against my ear.However, it is very relaxing!!
(Destin, Fl)
09/02/2012
★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
WARNING: I had good results many times, as did many of my friends; but once we had a VERY DANGEROUS experience so I will never do it or recommend it again. I assume it was because of an inferior brand of candle or manufactirer defect. To make a long story short, I stopped the procedure just as roilling HOT WAX melted down the cone into a friends ear! Fortunately I was watching very closely because the candle was not the brand I was accustomed to; this one was more flimsy and not made of sturdy cloth; and it burned hotter & faster; too fast for my comfort and obviulsy so fast it melted the wax coating enough to drip down the come... Very, very dangerous... and could instantly have rendered my friend deaf and/or disfugured had I not stopped immediately!
BEWARE! Having shared this treatment with many folks before the above incident, I noticed that most people do not follow the directions and they burn away too much of the cone before removing it from the ear, which is also very, very dangerous!
For everyones sake it's much safer to use the Hydrogen peroxide treatment (but not if you have a reptured eardrum or other ear problems! )
Ear Cones
★☆☆☆☆
I've done them twice before actually, was sold a wholistic cure (by the same place that sold my mom saltwater to relieve arthritis). First one did nothing at all, second one singed my ear a bit, hurt for a few days.
Aside from that, do you really think a little negative pressure from the heat is going to pull an awful disgusting glob of tar out of your ear?
I've had fair success with using over the counter carbamide peroxide treatments (similar to hydrogen peroxide but better for the ear). It's pretty uncomfortable to blow water up your ear, but if it helps then it helps.
Had to go to an ear specialist once and have him suck it out of my ear with a little..... Sucker tool. Don't know how to explain it, a long metal tube that sucks lice a vacuum. Was very uncomfortable and somewhat painful, but so was the ear wax and this helped tremendously.
Go to a drugstore, or go to a doctor, stay away from quackery.
(Ontario, Canada)
06/22/2014
Alex, Wv, just because it's illegal in canada, and so is medical science against it....that's not enuf to scare me off of trying if I so choose, but it most certainly is not a jump in there and just do it type thing either.
One should have some training on their proper use. Personally, I had it done, but don't consider it quackery. I prefer Q-tips, and I have a method of rolling the Q-tip and using 2 Q-tips together, it doesn't go too far down, and one can clean the ridges of the ear as well, and I don't walk around the house with them hanging out of my ears. Also after wax removal, one should not go running around outside, one should have the advantage of one nights worth of wax build up, to protect one from infections and viruses one could be open to, with too much wax removed.
(Vancouver, British Columbia)
09/19/2017
I have one ear that gets clogged with wax to the point where it affects my hearing. This happens every two or three years. I visit my doctor and he uses a large syringe type instrument filed with warm water to flush the wax out of my ear while I hold a kidney basin on my shoulder to catch the overflow. The wax that comes out is usually about the size of a pencil eraser and my hearing is immediately restored. The doctor then uses a special scope to look inside my ear to confirm that all the wax is gone. I have probably had this procedure done about ten times over the years with good results.
Ear Cones
★☆☆☆☆
Ear Cones
★★★★★
Ear Cones
★★★★★
How I used it:(never perform this on yourself)
2 ear cones
1 large bowl of water
2 matches or a lighter
1 pair of scissors
1 hot water bottle or heating pad
1 ball of cotton
Place heat on ear your going to do for 5 min. It loosens up the wax. Lay on your side(using a pillow under your head). Exposed ear facing up. Place 1 ear cone in the opening of the ear slightly tilted, Light the top part of the cone with a match. Not to worry bees wax does not melt, it evaporates as it burns. place the match in the bowl of water. At this time you will hear crackling camp fire noises. As the smoke rises it pulls wax out of the ears. when It burns 1/2 way down remove from ear. Take scissors and and cut off the burning part into the water. Inside the cone will be wax and yellow dust. If you see yellow dust it comes from moisture in the ear. Clean out the wax/dust in the cone with a long small stick and repeat the process again w/ remaining cone in the same ear. Then repeat the whole process on the other ear.
Ear Cones
★☆☆☆☆
Ear Cones
(Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada)
08/25/2011
(Innisfil, On, Canada)
09/02/2011
actually, the Health Canada website says that they are illegal to sell in Canada but some get around the rule and can be found for sale.
However, the reason is that Health Canada deems them to be ineffective and has not issue a license to sell them as a medical device. They state that they are dangerous due to fire. That said, so are fireworks and they are now legal to sell in Canada. Again, legislation designed to protect the ignorant. I'm sure most people could properly use ear candles safely (however, not on oneself, as it is dangerous to try to do this yourself).
Health Canada rarely identifies alternative therapies as effective so I wouldn't rely on their information.
Ear Wax Remedies
(Rustenburg, North West South Africa)
12/06/2011
Hi TRandaal, Try putting hydrogen peroxide in the ear & it will disolve the wax. Try 3% hp. Good Luck.
(Philadelphia, Pa)
08/09/2012
homeopathic SILICA is said to help body expel unwanted objects from inside.
I've heard nothing but good comments about the Murine Kit for the ears, the do it yourslef with peroxide is good too, but don't do it before he needs to go out and play, this should be done prior to bedtime to insure a nights wax build up to protect him from viruses etc it could be subjected to with a clean unprotected ear, ok?!
