Can we make a turunda soaked in 70% alcohol for an earache? Alcohol solutions can cause irritation or even burns in the area of inflammation. And introducing foreign objects on your own, whether they be turundas or cotton swabs, can traumatize an already inflamed ear. This is especially true for earplugs: they have no proven effect, and harm, including blockage of the ear canal with wax and perforation of the tympanic membrane, has been described in the literature many times.