Hopi

Thermo-Auricular Therapy, or Hopi Ear candling to most, is a 3000 year old treatment and its history spans continents and cultures. For example, there is evidence of candling taking place in Europe from cave drawings, and the higher echelons of Greek society used candling to evoke mental clarity and a deeper spirituality. The North American Indian tribe called the Hopi were already masters of candling by the time the Europeans discovered the Americas, and it is after this tribe that Ear candling as we know it today was named.

I only use BioSun Ear candles as they are the only candles which carry a CE mark and are registered as a medical product according to medical device directive 93/42/EEC. The candles are made in Germany (where, incidentally, medical students are required to study Ear candling as part of their training) to a traditional Hopi recipe. The hollow candles are made of a pure linen roll and impregnated with beeswax, sage, St John's Wort and chamomile. Two candles are used per treatment, one for each ear, and the candle burns in on itself leaving a dusty residue inside the filter, and a little inside the ear.

The treatment works on a number of levels. The physical effect of a hollow tube being lit and placed in the ear means that a mild suction is established which can draw out any impurities from the ear into the candle. This chimney effect can also regulate the pressure inside the ear. This is accompanied by a mild vibrating effect which pleasantly massages the ear from the inside out. As the candle burns down, a relaxing warming sensation can also be felt, whilst the aroma of the burning herbs can aid relaxation. From a spiritual point of view, the cleansing fire is said to carry negative vibrations away from the fine metabolic energy fields and harmonise the energy status.

You may find Hopi can help with the following:

• Irritation of the ears or sinuses (eg Hayfever)
• Excessive or compacted ear wax
• Headaches/migraines
• Sinusitis
• Rhinitis
• Glue Ear (perfect for children - if they can lie still for long enough!)
• Tinnitus
• Stress related problems
• To heighten sense of hearing/taste/smell
• Mental clarity
• Reduction of sinus fluids
• Better lymphatic circulation
• Vertigo
• Menieres disease
• Relief of tension in the jaw

Please note - the following conditions are contraindicated to this treatment, therefore I will not perform Hopi Ear Candling on clients with:

• Current or recent perforation of the ear drum
• Lack of eardrum
• Auricular drains or grommets
• Recent ear surgery (within 3 months)
• Auricular cysts
• Otospongiosis/Otosclerosis
• Ear tumour
• Current ear infection

If you are not sure, please either call me to discuss, or speak with your GP.

How often should I have Hopi Ear Candling?

With chronic problems such as tinnitus, hearing weakness, pressure in the head, blocked noses, migraine and compacted wax:

• Use three times in the first week
• Twice in the second week
• Once in the third and fourth weeks
• For normal prevention, use once a month or once per season