I would say maybe asprin or ibuprofen? Ibuprofen is supposed to help the swelling and I would think it has the same effects just like it relieves muscle aches or headaches.
facial acne that hurts is almost always because of bacteria. If you have large (or even small) bumps that are very sore, then you need to look into Azelaic Acid, Klaron, Antibiotics, and Benzoyl Peroxide. Most acne is caused by bacteria, however, if you have noticed that most of your lesions are predominantly sore to the touch, then you have a lot of infections on your face that many of these things can help control.
The acne bumps on my face appear inflamed, so I will use aspirin or Vioxx (I am allergic to ibuprofen) to control the inflammation and kill the pain.
Yes, my acne bumps, some of which are large and some of which are small, are very sore. Just touching them lightly hurts. If this soreness is caused by bacteria, I wonder where these bacteria come from. My acne bumps were sore as soon as they erupted and before I even put a finger on them.
Why does facial acne hurt? 
