A client presents with itching and pain in the left ear that started several days after beginning swim lessons. The nurse observes a discharge coming from the ear with a musty odor. How should the nurse expect the ear to appear when performing an otoscopic examination?

A. Retracted and non-mobile tympanic membrane. This finding is more typical of eustachian tube dysfunction or middle ear effusion, not an external ear infection. B. Translucent, pearly gray and mobile tympanic membrane. This is a normal finding, which is unlikely given the symptoms described. C. Red, edematous ear canal with no visualization of the tympanic membrane. This is the expected finding for otitis externa (swimmer's ear), which matches the client's symptoms and history. D. Thickened and bulging tympanic membrane. This finding is more indicative of middle ear infection (otitis media), not an external ear infection.