This issue of ears hurting is actually a 'disease' (whose name escapes me at present); it can cause an awful pressure sore -- we were sure my sister had a cancer on her ear -- that can be treated by a dermatologist. They of course wanted her to buy an expensive specialty pillow.
When I briefly had a similar problem before buying a new pillow, I made a small 'earring' of some rolled flannel that fit around my ear on the pillow, and relieved a bit of the direct pressure.
Jan in VA