You’re already dealing with a runny nose, a scratchy throat, and that general “hit by a truck” feeling. Then comes the extra annoyance: one or both of your ears feel stuffed with cotton, underwater, or pressurized like you’re on an airplane.
You don’t have an ear infection (yet). So what’s going on? Your middle ear is connected to the back of your throat by a tiny canal called the Eustachian tube . Its job is to drain fluid and equalize air pressure. ear plugged up from cold
Sleeping slightly propped up (on two pillows) can help fluid drain away from your ears overnight. You’re already dealing with a runny nose, a