I have Ear cartilage pain only in my right ear because I sleep on my right side because of a medical issue.
It wakes me up with major pain, I find occasionally I have a wrinkle in my pillow slip or I'm laying with more pressure on that part of my ear. I have very pronounced inner ear cartilage ( No my ears don't stick out!ha!ha!)
My husband told me it's the beginning of Cauliflower ears, when the cartliage starts to break down (causing pain) and your ear will flatten out! I'm not sure how to solve it, but if I do, I'll let everyone know!
Until then, sleep well everyone!

I have had this problem for over a year now. It is very painful. The only thing that have helped me is that I bought a neck pillow . One of them ones shaped like a horse shoe and I put it on my pillow with my ear inside the middle so that there is no presser on the ear. This has helped me allot. Some times I loose it it my sleep and wake up in pain but I fine it real fast. I don't know if it means anything but I also have ringing in the same ear and its driving me crazy.

Hi Breezy1999, I actually found a name for this affliction, it's called " Chondro-dermatitis Nodularis", it's said with out the hyphen just thought it would be easier to pronounc.
The ridge of my ear has been flaking,then forming a scab,then coming off, but it just seems to be getting worse! Oh! The Pain! The Pain! ( joke, if you've ever watched 'Fantasy Island!). Seriously now, I'm going to my Doctors on the 20th of this month and I'm going to explain it all, so hopefully I'll be able to come back and fill you all in. The one article I've read that gave me the name said you'll probably have to go see a Specialist " Nose, Ear, & Throat Doctor". More damn Doctors! Yuck!
I had my husband make me a cotton ball/band-aide patch that he taped to my ear/head, he made like a ear pillow, it worked really well except... the tape pulled a lot of my hair out! And when I tried it the next night I couldn't get it to stay, and I ran out of band-aides!
As far as the ringing in the ear, I always thought it might be from medication's or air pressure in the ear canal, but I'm not a doctor... go see about that. I think I will try a different pillow, like the one you suggest, sounds better than pulling out my hair with tape! And I'm at the age I don't need anymore hair loss!!
Good Luck, and I'll post back with what my doc says! Have a Pain free night!

Chondrodermatitis Nodularis is not the same ailment. We are talking about pain without any visible cause (no nodule or ulcer) which only seems to occur when outside of ear has been compressed in some way, and quickly resolves when the compression is released. And, Chondrodermatitis Nodularis is generally found in those age 60+. In my case, I have had this ear pain intermittently for years (I am 54), but my 17 year old son also has it. For us, it is just an occasional annoyance, but I did want to know that there is nothing seriously wrong, so I googled "ear pain while sleeping" and found this board. I feel pretty confident now that it is just irritation of the cartilage. I have also, as others mentioned, had a similar (although not as strong) pain from wearing my glasses all day and also from the posts of pierced earrings pressing behind my ears. It sounds as if the solution is just to be gentle with our ears, sleeping and otherwise. Thanks for some good tips!

Yes, still getting ear pain, only it is more frequent now, sometimes occurring more than once a night. I agree I think it is just compressed cartilage but I do wish there was something that could be done about it. I can't imagine living with this every night for the rest of my life. I have tried new pillows, even the crazy expensive pillows, but still ear pain night after night.