Are those Native American ear candles any good? I have something called otitis externa and my doctor wants me to use eardrops for it. But I am wary of using any kind of drugs.

The Hopi Indian ear candles are quite popular in Hove. The idea is that you stick one in each ear,light them and await results. To be honest, I can't quite see how they can do you good, unless there's something soothing in the candlewax. Anyway, the important thing is to make sure you don't put the lighted end in your ear. The condition you've got is extremely common, particularly among people who've been swimming in pools while on holiday. It's an inflammation of the outer part of the ear passage. Generally, the first line of treatment is to use mild eardrops prescribed by a doc.