Question on ear cleaning and ear health

Recent studies that have been published about ear candling have pointed out some serious problems suggesting that it is not very helpful and can actually be harmful. Resist the urge to ear candle.

Your ear has a natural system to clean itself so when you are healthy, your ears will be healthy and not overloaded with wax.

Dr. Coleen Murphy, ND

Natural  Medicine Works

www.natmedworks.com 

Keeping your ear healthy means keeping the rest of your body healthy. Drinking plenty of pure/filtered water daily will ensure your inner ear/middle ear receives good circulation and can eliminate well.  Eating a diet rich in omega 3/6 essential fatty acids (such as fish oils) will enable the consistency of your ear wax (cerumen) to be soft.  By supporting your immune system through castor oil packs, you will be able to resist potential ear infections. 

With respect to ear cleaning --please resist the urge to use cotton tipped swabs or finger-tips to clean your ears.  Both these tend to irritate the ear canals and push wax deeper.  A softening agent (available over the counter in pharmacies) or a few drops of warmed olive oil may soften wax.  In my clinical practice, I've found the best way to remove ear wax is by using a syringe of warm water to flush the ear wax out of the ear.  If you have particularly resistant ear wax, you may seek the assistance of a health care practitioner for this procedure (ear lavage.)   http://www.countrydoc.com

Dr. Karen Benton, Naturopathic Physician