The presence of ear stones usually refers to the presence of hard cerumen masses in the ear canal, which can cause a degree of ear congestion and blockage, leading to hearing loss and tinnitus, and may cause pain in the ear when digging. If the ear stones swell in size due to water ingestion or other factors, they may cause more severe pressure on the skin of the ear canal and even cause acute inflammation and pain in the ear. If a patient has an ear stone condition, he or she will need to go to the hospital for further cleaning. Some patients may have difficulty cleaning and removing the stone directly, and often need to use phenol glycerin ear drops and the like to soften and dilute it before further cleaning and removal.