What common symptom might indicate a severe ear injury?

When considering the symptoms that might indicate a severe ear injury, recognizing that all the options listed—ringing in the ears, loss of hearing, and discharge from the ear—can be associated with significant ear trauma is critical.

Ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus, can arise from damage to the inner ear structures or the auditory nerve, suggesting an injury that might also affect hearing ability. Loss of hearing itself is a direct indicator that something may have impaired the auditory pathways or the structural integrity of the ear, often seen in severe injuries. Discharge from the ear could indicate the presence of a perforated eardrum or an infection arising from such trauma, which also signals a serious condition that requires immediate attention.

Given these points, the identification of all these symptoms as potential indicators of a severe ear injury underscores the importance of a comprehensive approach in assessing ear trauma. Therefore, the correct choice encompasses the entirety of these symptoms as collectively pointing towards a significant ear injury.