I have had a bad cough but why do my ears hurt?!

There is a tube that links your middle ear to your throat called the eustachian tube. Coughing or 'sniffing' during a cold will cause pressure to build up in the tube and cause pain. This is pretty common.

An over the counter decongestant might help to relieve some of the pressure in your ear. If it doesn't go away you should check with your doctor.

I'm a RN

Keep in mind that your throat, mouth, and ears are all connected by the same tube.

So, if one hurts, it's quite likely that one of the others will also.

That's why they call those doctors "Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists", or sometimes "ENTs". :)

its cold out side.... c.o.l.d.... that means you have a c.o.l.d and that includes you ears hurting too...