What do you know about ear candling?

[gatorsmom]

Last night, at our Multiples Class, one of the mothers said that she used candling on her infant sons. She said the her twin sons were having such frequent ear infections that the ped highly recommended tubes for her babies. She didn't want the tubes so she started candling their ears and said she that that solved the ear infection problem and hasn't had one for months.

Is this a legitimate treatment? It seems quacky to me, but i know next to nothing about it. When my husband heard about it, he insisted I start doing this to him (this is the same DH who thinks that spraying chemicals all over our lawn is a good idea and that global warming is a myth- sorry, don't get me started). Needless to say, we have many differences of opinion.

What do you guys think?

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005
and surprise! twins due 11/07!

[BillK]

http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/candling.html

[Fairy]

Quack, quack, quackety quack, quack, quack. DO NOT DO THIS. It's complete and utter bunk and, in fact, harmful. You can check it out on snopes, too. It also doens't work for collecting wax. It's complete and utter crap.

[Cristiana]

lol, my DH bought a set, and on the packaging, it even says that this product will work as well as you think it does. wth?

[Tondi G]

I have never done it but my next door neighbor has used them herself and on her boys since they were toddlers. She swares by them!

[overcome]

Straying OT just a bit..

For chronic ear infections you may want to look into chiropractic care. I read up on it when dd had 2 ear infections in a row, but no more since then, so I never had to pursue it.

http://www.acatoday.com/content_css.cfm?CID=69

http://www.kellychiropractic.com/colic.html#Can%20Chiropractic%20care%20help%20my%2 0child?s%20ear%20aches?

http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bhealth/0,,40l3,00.html

http://www.healthychild.com/chiropractic-ear-infections.htm

I'm sure there is more out there....

GL

[SASM]

Okay...probably NOT the best person to comment since I haven't done them in YEARS but, as a massage therapist, I remember doing this on several clients and hearing a lot of great feedback from them. Have you researched getting a "professional" to do it. I thought that I'd get a fair amount of wax out of their ears. It is quite a neat procedure.

That being, said, that IS all that I can say, as I REALLY haven't done them for a while. Look around your area, get names highly recommended massage therapists or bodywork professionals and ask them if they know of someone who offers this method as a therapy. See how it is done. You should see a difference after a treatment. If it works, and you've seen the method done PROPERLY, then, if you can, buy the equipment and do it at home. It doesn't hurt it just draws the fluid out and your kids might feel a little popping. It is quite neat! And VERY easy to do. Ohhhh...it is all coming back to me now. :) Just to see how it feels, you could have it done on you first, just so your DCs can see it done and you can explain to them how it feels to Mommy. Then, you can actually watch it performed. Good luck!

ETA: How are YOU feeling? I've been thinking about you, mainly late at night when I cannot sleep, like NOW!! :) Good luck to YOU! :)

ETA #2: CYE! :)