Okay, first off I have had my ears pierced for at least 7 or 8 years. I had my ear cartilage pierced at Piercing Pagoda. I only had a problem with my ears being allergic to nickel after a year of having them.
Now, this past weekend I decided to wear my birthstone studs I got when I first got them pierced and after wearing them for maybe fourteen hours, I came home and my ear was painful to touch (Btw, I never had a problem with these earrings before). I quickly took out my earring, thinking the pain would subside, but after two days it still hurts.
When I touch it is quite painful and slightly swollen. When I push the piercing from the back the hole itself is really red and gross. I know it is either reacting to some sort of metal or they are infected. Any suggestions would help. 
By: singsong2011
About the Author:
Your are probably allergic to the metal that is that earring. Just because you’ve never had a reaction to those particular earrings now doesn’t mean you can’t develop one.
If you haven’t cleaned those earrings there might have been something on them that caused your ear to respond like that.
Either way use some hydrogen peroxide on your ears for a few days 3x per day. It should heal up in no time.