A Young Man Is Cleaning His Ear by Sliding a Cotton

Multiple Choice

A young man is cleaning his ear by sliding a cotton swab into the external acoustic meatus as far as he can. He is met with some resistance and, thinking the swab has hit earwax, he pushes harder. He feels a sharp, extreme pain. After the initial shock, he notices that all he can hear from that ear is a constant ringing and nothing else. What damage has he most likely done to the ear?

A) He pushed and damaged the stapes.
B) He has broken the skin of the external acoustic meatus and the blood is causing the ringing.
C) He has pushed and torn the tympanic membrane.
D) He has pushed and torn the oval window.