Just use a Q tip and you'll be fine!
Ear candles are a hoax and dangerous
http://whatstheharm.net/earcandling.html
as long as you are careful a q-tip should be fine
I was told never to put anything in your ear sharper than your elbow
I don't think "hoax" is the right word. "Unproven, fringe therapy" might be better.
I wasn't very impressed with the link. For example, a nurse died from ear candling. How, you ask? She set her apartment ablaze and died in the subsequent fire. That's like saying birthday parties should be outlawed.
How do you get your elbow in there?
I can't argue that, but dig a little deeper, the gunk that they claim comes from your ear is already in the candle. so more of a scam than a hoax.I wasn't very impressed with the link
I was told never to put anything in your ear sharper than your elbow
Now you tell me. I nearly dislocated my shoulder.
Paul:One thing that works pretty well is a cap full of hydrogen peroxide for deeper canal cleaning. It feels kind of weird, but works. I have a family member that gets really waxy; his doctor told him to use peroxide to break up the wax.
This topic is providing a little TMI for my taste though.
I was told never to put anything in your ear sharper than your elbow
How do you get your elbow in there?
I am an audiologist, and I have also worked with several ENT's (surgeons of the ear). Here's the definitive, medical answer.
Q-tips are fine for the outer ear, just don't jam them into the canal. Just like the proverbial "tip of the iceberg" the small amount of wax you may take out is no match for the larger amount you'll mush back into the canal, where it will be more painful to remove. The inner two-thirds of the canal have very thin skin and is a sensitive area.
The three accepted methods for wax removal are: curettes (I use these - a metal or nylon/plastic loop that pulls out wax), suction and water irrigation. Physicians, nurses or audiologists can use these. Whatever he or she is most comfortable using, go with that method.
NEVER let anybody put a lit candle in your ear. Ineffective at best, dangerous at worst.
Finally, ear wax is like red wine. In moderation it's good for you. It is virucidal, fungicidal, bacteriocidal and insecticidal to a degree.
I am an audiologist, and I have also worked with several ENT's (surgeons of the ear). Here's the definitive, medical answer.
The three accepted methods for wax removal are: curettes (I use these - a metal or nylon/plastic loop that pulls out wax), suction and water irrigation. Physicians, nurses or audiologists can use these. Whatever he or she is most comfortable using, go with that method.
Where are such curettes available? Are they available for lay persons? Is there a brand name?
--james
I am an audiologist, and I have also worked with several ENT's (surgeons of the ear). Here's the definitive, medical answer.
The three accepted methods for wax removal are: curettes (I use these - a metal or nylon/plastic loop that pulls out wax), suction and water irrigation. Physicians, nurses or audiologists can use these. Whatever he or she is most comfortable using, go with that method.
Where are such curettes available? Are they available for lay persons? Is there a brand name?
--james
They are available but I would strongly recommend that they are only used by a professional. My experience with one landed me at the doctor's office for a professional cleaning. The best and safest thing I have found for home use is one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Health-Enterp...JXGA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294362973&sr=8-1
They provide good water pressure and the tip is impossible to put too far into your ear.