I have a condition that makes me prone to ear infections and have been to a lot of ear doctors. I think that if its such a chronic problem and the medicine caused you pain then the best thing to do would be to see a doctor about it, after all its ridiculously easy to damage your hearing. I know a bunch of people who have had wax removed by a doctor (a lot of it) and it seems to be the way such problems are generally solved.

Also, if you're into alternative remedies, I heard about a procedure called ear coning (or maybe conning?) in which smoke is used to dissolve buildup. It would undoubtedly be less painful than the drops, but depending on your insurance, seeing a Doc could be cheaper.