I would reconsider ever using Q-Tips, more likely to hurt something than help.
If you have an outer ear infection (swimmers ear) an alcohol rinse may help enough to let your body fight the infection off if you get it early enough. The drops sold at the drug store are mostly alcohol.
If you don't treat it, the pain can be incredible (been there, done that) so don't put of the doc too long, its not something you can ride out.
Inner ear infections are fairly rare, as stated above oral antibiotics are needed.
They are 2 totally different things needing totally different treatments, if you don't know for sure, get to a doc ASAP