"My ear hurts" Or "My ear is hurting"

Which tense is best suited to describe sickness and pain? In the example below, what are the differences between the two usages? Which one sounds more natural?

• My ear hurts

• My ear is hurting

Solution 1:

I hear both very often. To me, "My ear is hurting" conveys an urgency, like my ear is hurting right now. I suppose it depends on the region of the world you are in as well. In the US, "My ear hurts" would be more common and natural.

Solution 2:

According to The Cambridge Grammar of The English Language (p170), hurt is one of the verbs which

" ... falls at the boundary between stative and dynamic: ache, hurt, itch, feel sick/well, etc. These occur equally readily in either aspect - compare *My neck aches* (where the non-progressive indicates a state) and *My neck is aching* (where the progressive suggests an activity)."