A Patient Reports Symptoms of Otalgia and Difficulty Hearing from One

A patient reports symptoms of otalgia and difficulty hearing from one ear. The provider performs an otoscopic exam and notes a dark brown mass in the lower portion of the external canal blocking the patient's tympanic membrane. What is the initial action?

A) Ask the patient about previous problems with that ear.
B) Irrigate the canal with normal saline.
C) Prescribe a ceruminolytic agent for that ear.
D) Use a curette to attempt to dislodge the mass.