Why You Should Stop Cleaning Your Ears With Cotton Swabs And What to Do Instead

2. What to do if cotton swabs cause you pain

If the pain isn’t too bad at first and you think you can handle it, you can try taking over-the-counter painkillers and see what happens. But if the pain doesn’t go away and is followed by hearing loss or ringing in the ears, you should call a doctor. It could be a more serious injury to the ear that needs help and advice from a doctor.