Which is the buildup of ear wax blocking the ear canal?

• A. Cerumen impaction
• B. Otitis
• C. Otosclerosis
• D. Nystagmus

Answer: (A)

Cerumen impaction means the buildup and hardening of ear wax in the ear canal that blocks the passage. Ear wax normally protects and cleans the canal and usually exits on its own, but when it accumulates or becomes solid it can muffle sound, create a feeling of fullness, and sometimes cause discomfort. This is exactly what the question describes—the wax obstructing the ear canal.

The other conditions describe different problems: otitis is an ear infection with symptoms like pain, discharge, and sometimes fever; otosclerosis is abnormal bone growth in the middle ear that stiffens the connection for sound transmission and leads to hearing loss; nystagmus is an involuntary eye movement issue related to balance or vestibular problems, not a blockage in the ear canal.