Ear Wax

What is ear wax?
Ear wax or cerumen as it is medically called is produced by small glands in the outer 1/3 rd of the ear canal. The ear wax traps particles and protects the ear.
Why does ear wax accumulate?
Ear wax is normally pushed to the outside by normal mechanisms of the body. Common causes of ear wax accumulation include:
Use of ear buds[ Q tips]: this is the most common cause of ear wax problem: in an attempt to clean the ear, wax is pushed in deep into the ear canal and accumulates.
Use of pins/ match sticks/rolled napkin corners etc to itch ear/'clean' ears
Using ear plugs
Hearing aid users
Structural variations in ear canal producing narrow/collapsed outer ear canal
Swellings in outer ear canal- eg an osteoma