Ear pain after cerumen flushing may be related to cerumen expansion irritation, otitis externa and other factors. 1. Expansion and irritation of cerumen: The process of cerumen flushing starts with the expansion of cerumen to soften the hard cerumen and facilitate its removal. Cerumen may swell when exposed to water. If there is a lot of cerumen in the external auditory canal, the swelling of cerumen may irritate the external auditory canal and cause pain. Thorough cleaning of the earwax is needed to relieve the pain. 2. Otitis externa: Otitis externa can be triggered by unclean water entering the ear canal or bad ear digging habits. Cerumen rinsing may aggravate the inflammation of the external auditory canal and lead to painful symptoms. Active anti-infection treatment is needed. Warm tips: ear pain after cerumen flushing, if the symptoms continue to worsen, it is recommended to seek medical attention.