Coughs and Colds

You have identified that your most bothersome symptom is ear pain. Ear pain can be caused by an infection along the canal leading to the ear drum, or it can be caused by a pressure change (with or without infection) behind the ear drum. If your pain is made worse when you pull on your outer ear, then it is likely that your infection is "external" to your ear drum, not behind it.

If you pull backward on your ear, does your pain increase sharply?

Yes

No