What is the wives tale about burning ears?

Answer 1

According to lore, a burning sensation in the ears indicates that someone somewhere is talking about the individual feeling the experience. This appears to derive from other old wives' tales which posit that a ringing or itching sensation in the ears indicate that a conversation regarding the person in question is taking place. The idea could also relate to the common phrase that someone's ears might "burn" in embarrassment or anger when they are spoken of, a sensation which could be caused by an individual's becoming flushed due to an emotional reaction.

According to the wives' tale, one can even tell whether they are being praised or denigrated. The right ear supposedly reacts when nice things are said while the left one will tingle when a person's character is being assaulted. According to some accounts, this belief can be traced back to the ancient Roman philosopher Pliny who first identified the alleged phenomenon.

As with many such superstitions, there is no scientific basis for the idea that one's ears will feel anything special when they are spoken of by someone out of their presence.

Another wives' tale also relates to a different kind of burning ears. The practice of ear candling, the placement of a wax-soaked cone in one's ear which is then lit on fire, is a common folk remedy which supposedly removes wax and impurities from the ear canal. However, physicians and medical professionals warn against this treatment saying it does not accomplish anything and can actually be potentially harmful due to the presence of the hot wax involved.