Ear Candling Horror Story - Don't Try This at Home Part 2

This week's email is a day late because I was busy yesterday morning recording a podcast radio show to be aired on Thursday on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  If you would like to tune in or if you miss it on
Thursday, you can always check it out here http://www.blogtalkradio.com/empoweryourself.

The FDA has alerted consumers about the dangers of ear candles. Ear candling has been used to to treat a number of maladies, ranging from sinus infection and sore throats to earwax buildup and hearing loss.

Use of ear candles creates the potential for fire hazards, inner ear and skin burns, wax-plugged ears, bleeding, eardrum puncture, and delay in seeking treatment for serious medical conditions supposedly treated by the
ear coning device, the FDA said.

Testing done by Health Canada found there was little to no efficacy to support the product's therapeutic value.

In my own not so scientific study, I used my otoscope to inspect someone's ears before ear candling, and repeated the inspection after ear candling and found no difference whatsoever in the amount of ear wax. The "wax" inside the remaining piece of candle was merely burnt down ear candle. My naturopathic colleagues have conducted similar experiments with identical conclusions.

One person ended up in ER with severe double ear infections and needed IV steroids and antibiotics since both ear canals were sealed shut and they couldn't get any antibiotic ear drops in. Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists report seeing many urgent ear cases coming in from candling.

Excessive ear wax in my experience is almost always associated with allergies,  often food allergies and often a dairy allergy - always best to get at the root cause of the problem than just address the symptom.

Add this to internal use of epsom salts in the "don't try this at home" category.

There's a new recipe for Salmon en Papillote on our website, http://forcesofnature.ca/HealthyRecipes.htm#Salmon_en_Papillote click to check it out.

To your health,

Pamela

http://www.ForcesofNature.ca
http://www.NaturopathToronto.ca
http://naturopathicdetox.blogspot.com/
http://h1n1naturopath.blogspot.com/
http://naturopathtoronto.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pfranknd

Copyright 2010 Forces of Nature

Don't Try This at Home

I was just doing some reading on the use of Epsom (magnesium) salts baths. They are wonderful for reducing muscle tension and I swear by them after a triathlon, however it seems some folks like to do things other than bathe in them. There are two case reports of people dying from alternative methods of using epsom salts, please do not try this at home: 

1.  Do not use them for enemas

2.  Do not use them as a gargle

Magnesium is generally a good thing, but as with anything too much of a good thing can be harmful and even deadly.  Epsom salts are not to be taken internally!

To your health,

Pamela

http://www.ForcesofNature.ca 

http://www.NaturopathToronto.ca 

http://naturopathicdetox.blogspot.com/ 

http://h1n1naturopath.blogspot.com/
http://naturopathtoronto.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pfranknd
Copyright 2009 Forces of Nature