Sore tender ears

I have recently developed very sore tender ears, particularly around the open area. I saw my GP who gave me Otex ear drops. He said I have compacted wax. Thinking about it afterwards, he seemed to think I was there to see him about hearing loss (which I didn't have) and bypassed the tenderness that I was complaining of.

Anyway, I've used the drops which have now left me with poor hearing - it feels as if my ears are full of water - but the tenderness of the ear itself is still there, so now I have two problems instead of one. The drops dry around the inside of the ears, crunchy and unpleasant and make the tenderness even worse. They're so tender I've even taken my earrings out, because I'm conscious of them all the time.

Why on earth are my ears so tender and sore? I've never heard of that before. The GP took a sample of wax to check for infection but I've heard nothing.