Is it common to have an earache when you have a common cold?

Yes.: A common cold is also known as an upper respiratory infection (uri). With a uri, one can experience blockage of the eustachian tube. This blockage will often result in pain to the ear. Be sure to see your doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms as permanent hearing loss can occur if there is an untreated ear infection.

Yes : This is a common problem. One mistake people often make in handling their cold is blowing their nose wrong. Gently blowing one nostril at a time into a tissue (but never honking or blowing both) can prevent blowing mucous backwards into the eustachian tube connecting ear to nose and causing pain. Decongestants and Ibuprofen can reduce the ear pain and prevent ear involvement.