Brief Answer:
It is not possible to know without another person looking into the ear.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Thank you for posting your query.

I understand your issue. Unfortunately, you can not perform an ear exam on yourself, the only way to know if there is cotton stuck inside your ear, is, to look inside the ear.

If you leave the cotton behind and don't get it removed by an ENT doctor/GP/PCP, it will become a source of infection and causes trouble.

Attempting to remove the cotton yourself or by someone who is not a trained person can be dangerous and can cause damage to the ear drum (tympanic membrane), so it is strongly recommended to seek medical help, it is not an emergency, you may consult your PCP/ENT doctor within one or two days.

Kindly, do not attempt to remove it with tweezers or any such instruments as there is a reasonable chance of hurting yourself.

I sincerely hope this addresses your concern, however, if you have additional concerns, I will be more than happy to address them as well.

Wishing you best of health.

Kind regards

---

Brief Answer:
You will feel fullness in the ear, itching, irritation, over the time, pain

Detailed Answer:
Hello again,

Thank you for writing back.

If the cotton is still in the ear, you will feel as if your ear is full, and you might develop some itching and irritation, if it gets infected, then you will get pain.

You would feel as if there is something in the ear, but it is a subjective thing, so it is still advisable to get your ear looked at by a doctor.

Wishing you good health.

---

Brief Answer:
1 or 2 days delay is not a problem

Detailed Answer:
It is not a dire emergency, you can take a day or two to visit a doctor.

---