Why Would Inflammation of the Middle Ear Result in Hearing

Why would inflammation of the middle ear result in hearing loss?

A) The ear canal would close, blocking sounds from entering the ear.
B) The ossicles would have a hard time moving, therefore preventing waves from being transmitted into the cochlea.
C) Swelling of the vestibular canal would prevent sounds from traveling through the cochlea.
D) Swelling of the tympanic canal would prevent sounds from traveling through the cochlea.
E) Swelling of the middle canal would prevent sounds being transduced into neural firing by the hair cells.