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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think hopi candling won't help a bit with my ear crackling/tinnitus?

31 replies

greenlantern1 · 18/05/2018 09:01

I've got ear crackling/some tinnitus. I've had my ears syringed recently and it hasn't really helped. I've got a friend who is going on at me to try Hopi Candling therapy but I'm really resistant.

Anyone tried it and it helped?

OP posts:
ImNotMeImSomeoneElse · 18/05/2018 09:10

Imo it is total nonsense and had the potential to do more harm than it ever does good.

I say that as someone who looked at training to do it, but looked into it first and despite being asked to offer the service, felt I could not ethically offer it based on what I saw.

specialsubject · 18/05/2018 09:12

ask your friend for evidence, not belief. silly fools run away at that

TuTru · 18/05/2018 09:13

I have tinnitus. It’s permanent.
Those candles are meant to be good, but I think warm olive oil and a cotton wool ball in your ear before bed is best. It eases symptoms. There is no cure for tinnitus though xx

Original poster
greenlantern1 · 18/05/2018 09:18

Thanks. That's helpful.

I know about tinnitus - there is no cure but it's not always permanent. x

OP posts:
MirriVan · 18/05/2018 09:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VanGoghsLeftEar · 18/05/2018 09:27

There is no medical evidence, despite studies into this, that hopi candling works.

I frequently have ear wax problems. One audiologist once told me to never put anything smaller than your ELBOW in your ears! Grin I used warmed olive oil and nothing else.

Bombardier25966 · 18/05/2018 09:42

Have you got tinnitus or wax in your ears? I do know people with blocked ears that it has been helpful for, but it's not going to help with tinnitus.

BigGrannyPants · 18/05/2018 09:46

Have you tried this? I have partial hearing loss and awful tinnitus. This worked temporarily for me but I have heard a lot of people say it cured them completely!

Fuei · 18/05/2018 10:39

As others have said, there is no medical evidence that this helps with ear wax. I used to suffer a lot with wax and tinnitus and looked into it in some depth. Syringing used to help me but then stopped. The only thing that worked ultimately was seeing a specialist. I ended up seeing a private one and he was amazing and sorted it all out. Obviously it was pricey but it was really impacting my life and I haven't had problems since. TMI but there was a layer of wax so stuck onto my ear drum that syringing just washed over it and didn't get it out. His more delicate cleaning was able to get it all out and that really helped with the crackling. I had also seen an NHS specialist and they did clean my ears really well but were recommending I get grommits put in, which I was too scared to do because quite a few people online said it made their tinnitus massively worse. The dr who ultimately helped me said that it would have been a terrible idea to do that.

Original poster
greenlantern1 · 18/05/2018 11:57

Fuei, which specialist did you see? His name?

OP posts:
Fuei · 18/05/2018 16:16

www.150harleyst.co.uk/tony-wright/ his address tells you what you need to know re likely prices.........

BrownTurkey · 18/05/2018 16:31

Have you tried a neti pot.

BrownTurkey · 18/05/2018 16:32

I have tinnitus and problems with eustachian tubes and when I asked the doctor at audiology he said a neti pot was a good plan.

SusannahL · 18/05/2018 16:47

OP I imagine you have already seen an ENT consultant? If not that should be your first port of call before trying any so called remedies you may have read about online.

There may well be ENT consultants with a special interest in tinnitus

Original poster
greenlantern1 · 19/05/2018 00:06

I don't have sinus issues...is a neti pot still useful?

OP posts:
EllenOlenska · 19/05/2018 01:58

Ask your GP for a referral to ENT. They will be able to run tests etc to check there is no underlying medical cause. Once that is ruled out they can refer you to an Audiology specialist in tinnitus who will be able to take over from there. Whilst not curable there is a lot of help,support and advise available on the NHS

TorviBrightspear · 19/05/2018 02:02

Do you have any hearing problems? I used to have bad tinnitus before getting hearing aids, but since then the tinnitus reduced massively. Definitely coincides with getting the aids.

Original poster
greenlantern1 · 19/05/2018 08:13

Thanks all. I don't have hearing issues that I know of but I suspect my hearing has gotten worse...I sometimes struggle to hear people against a very busy background, but that's been the case for years. I do wonder if some drop in hearing has caused this.

I'm going to ask my GP to refer me.

OP posts:
RubberJohnny · 19/05/2018 09:35

Have you had your b12 checked? I have pernicious anaemia and had tinnitus before starting b12 injections ..it's totally gone now but when I am nearing a fresh dose, it slightly comes back.
B12 should be in the higher part of the lab ref range, mine was 150 but is now 600, trying to persuade GP for more regular b12 injections as 7-800 is where I feel best.
It's not easy to absorb via the stomach as lots of us lack intrinsic factor to utilise it. You can get sprays and small pills you put under your tongue which dissolve and that is as effective as the injections apparently. And with b12 being a water soluble vitamin, no worries about overloading, you simply excrete excess. If I were you, I'd defo try a spray and dose at 1000mcg daily for ten days, then 1000 once a week, then maintain at 1000mcg monthly.

RubberJohnny · 19/05/2018 09:37

Meant to say, the spray or sublingual tablets are absorbed directly into the blood stream and therefore don't rely on enough or any intrinsic factor being in the stomach to be effective.
And you want the b12 in the methylcobalmin form which is the most active and doesn't require breaking down to be utilised.

QuoadUltra · 19/05/2018 09:38

I had Hopi candle treatment.

I can report that it was complete bollocks.

RubberJohnny · 19/05/2018 09:42

And also get some magnesium citrate and take up to four capsules a day, preferably at night as it aids sleep.
( mag citrate can cause diarrhoea so if you are prone to it, try mag glycinate instead.

AcrossthePond55 · 19/05/2018 10:26

Just an FYI, ear candling is not nor has it ever been a part of traditional Hopi medicine.

The tribe has repeatedly asked the manufacturer to stop using the tribe's name but they have refused to comply.

Tells you all you need to know about this 'practice'.

Original poster
greenlantern1 · 19/05/2018 10:44

Thanks all. So helpful. Will restart taking magnesium and get my B12 checked. I've had an early menopause and am on HRT and wondered if the hormone changes had something to do with it. another beautiful symptom.

OP posts: