What should you do when your ear gets clogged?

A few minutes ago, my left ear became blocked. This is a sensation that I find absolutely intolerable. I freaked out. I jammed q-tips into my ear until it started bleeding and started hitting the side of my face until it became unblocked. It’s no longer blocked, but now my face and ear hurt, and I’m afraid it’s going to happen again.

What is the correct way to unblock a clogged ear (without self-injury)?