Definitely.
Yes, although I might try alcohol next time.
Very much so.
I had a perforated abcess of the ear drum when I was a child. Not a good experience, it hurt like hell and when the abcess finally burst there was blood and puss all over the pillow.
A course of antibiotics cleared it up and my hearing doesn’t seem to have been affected. I am prone to waxy buildup in that ear though and latelty seem to be suffering from glue ear.