 Show Sore throat and runny nose are usually the first signs of a cold, followed by coughing and sneezing. Most people recover in about 7-10 days. You can help reduce your risk of getting a cold: wash your hands often, avoid close contact with sick people, and don’t touch your face with unwashed hands. Common colds are the main reason that children miss school and adults miss work. Each year in the United States, there are millions of cases of the common cold. Adults have an average of 2-3 colds per year, and children have even more. Most people get colds in the winter and spring, but it is possible to get a cold any time of the year. Symptoms usually include:
Most people recover within about 7-10 days. However, people with weakened immune systems, asthma, or respiratory conditions may develop serious illness, such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Help reduce your risk of getting a cold by washing hands often with soap and water. How to Protect YourselfViruses that cause colds can spread from infected people to others through the air and close personal contact. You can also get infected through contact with stool (poop) or respiratory secretions from an infected person. This can happen when you shake hands with someone who has a cold, or touch a surface, like a doorknob, that has respiratory viruses on it, then touch your eyes, mouth, or nose. You can help reduce your risk of getting a cold:
Practice good cough and sneeze etiquette: always cough and sneeze into a tissue or your upper shirt sleeve, completely covering your mouth and nose. How to Protect OthersIf you have a cold, you should follow these tips to help prevent spreading it to other people:
There is no vaccine to protect you against the common cold. How to Feel BetterThere is no cure for a cold. To feel better, you should get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids. Over-the-counter medicines may help ease symptoms but will not make your cold go away any faster. Always read the label and use medications as directed. Talk to your doctor before giving your child nonprescription cold medicines, since some medicines contain ingredients that are not recommended for children. Learn more about symptom relief of upper respiratory infections, including colds. Antibiotics will not help you recover from a cold caused by a respiratory virus. They do not work against viruses, and they may make it harder for your body to fight future bacterial infections if you take them unnecessarily. Learn more about when antibiotics work. When to See a DoctorYou should call your doctor if you or your child has one or more of these conditions:
You should also call your doctor right away if you are at high risk for serious flu complications and get flu symptoms such as fever, chills, and muscle or body aches. People at high risk for flu complications include young children (younger than 5 years old), adults 65 years and older, pregnant women, and people with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease. Causes of the Common ColdMany different respiratory viruses can cause the common cold, but rhinoviruses are the most common. Rhinoviruses can also trigger asthma attacks and have been linked to sinus and ear infections. Other viruses that can cause colds include respiratory syncytial virus, human parainfluenza viruses, adenovirus, common human coronaviruses, and human metapneumovirus. Know the Difference between Common Cold and FluThe flu, which is caused by influenza viruses, also spreads and causes illness around the same time as the common cold. Because these two illnesses have similar symptoms, it can be difficult (or even impossible) to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, flu symptoms are worse than the common cold and can include fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue (tiredness). Flu can also have very serious complications. CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccination as the first and best way to prevent the flu. If you get the flu, antiviral drugs may be a treatment option.
The common cold is a viral infection Overview of Viral Infections A virus is composed of nucleic acid, either DNA or RNA, surrounded by a protein coat. It requires a living cell in which to multiply. A viral infection can lead to a spectrum of symptoms from... read more of the lining of the nose, sinuses, and throat.
Common colds are among the most common illnesses. Many different viruses (rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, coronaviruses, and human metapneumoviruses) cause colds, but rhinoviruses (of which there are more than 100 subtypes) cause most colds. Colds caused by rhinoviruses occur more commonly in the spring and fall. Other viruses cause common coldlike illnesses at other times of the year.
Colds spread mainly when people’s hands come in contact with nasal secretions from an infected person. These secretions contain cold viruses. When people then touch their mouth, nose, or eyes, the viruses gain entry to the body and cause a cold. Less often, colds are spread when people breathe air containing droplets that were coughed or sneezed out by an infected person. A cold is most contagious during the first 1 or 2 days after symptoms develop.
Susceptibility to colds is not increased by any of the following:
Did You Know...
Symptoms of Common Cold
Cold symptoms start 1 to 3 days after infection. Usually, the first symptom is a scratchy or sore throat or discomfort in the nose. Later, people start sneezing, have a runny nose, and feel mildly ill. Fever is not common, but a mild fever may occur at the beginning of the cold. At first, secretions from the nose are watery and clear and can be annoyingly plentiful, but eventually, they become thicker, opaque, yellow-green, and less plentiful. Many people also develop a mild cough. Symptoms usually disappear in 4 to 10 days, although the cough often lasts into the second week.
Complications may prolong the disease. Rhinovirus infection often triggers asthma attacks in people with asthma Asthma Asthma is a condition in which the airways narrow—usually reversibly—in response to certain stimuli. Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath that occur in response to specific triggers are... read more
Did You Know...
Diagnosis of Common Cold
Doctors are usually able to diagnose a cold based on the typical symptoms. A high fever, severe headache, rash, difficulty breathing, or chest pain suggests that the infection is not a simple cold.
Laboratory tests are not usually needed to diagnose a cold. If complications are suspected, doctors may order blood tests and x-rays. Prevention of Common Cold
Because so many different viruses cause colds and because each virus changes slightly over time, an effective vaccine has not yet been developed.
The best preventive measure is practicing good hygiene. Because many cold viruses are spread through contact with the secretions of an infected person, the following measures can help:
Despite their popularity, echinacea, zinc, and high-dose vitamin C (up to 2,000 milligrams per day) do not prevent or treat colds, nor does eating citrus fruits. Treatment of Common Cold
People with a cold should stay warm and comfortable and should rest. They should try to avoid spreading the infection to others by staying at home. Drinking fluids or using a cool mist humidifier may help a little to keep secretions loose and easier to expel. Vaporizers that release hot steam can cause burns if someone gets too close or accidentally knocks over a device filled with hot water.
Currently available antiviral drugs are not effective against colds. Antibiotics do not help people with colds, even when the nose or cough produces thick or colored mucus.
Echinacea Echinacea Echinacea is a perennial wildflower containing a variety of biologically active substances. Various parts of the plant are used medicinally. (See also Overview of Dietary Supplements.) People... read more , zinc Zinc Zinc, a mineral, is required in small quantities for many metabolic processes. Dietary sources include oysters, beef, and fortified cereals. Zinc supplements are available in capsule, tablet... read more preparations, and vitamin C Vitamin C Deficiency In developed countries, vitamin C deficiency can occur from a diet low in vitamin C, but severe deficiency (causing scurvy) is uncommon. Not eating enough fresh fruits and vegetables can cause... read more have been suggested as treatment. Some small studies have shown them to be effective. Others have shown them to be ineffective. But no well-designed, large clinical studies have confirmed their effectiveness. Even when studies did show a benefit, the benefit was small. For example, when zinc shortened the duration of cold symptoms, it was by less than 1 day. Thus, most experts do not recommend these supplements as treatment.
Several popular nonprescription (over-the-counter) remedies help relieve cold symptoms. Because they do not cure the infection, which usually resolves after a week regardless of treatments tried, doctors feel that their use is optional, depending on how bad the person feels. Several different types of drugs are used:
These drugs are most often sold as combinations but can also be obtained individually.
Inhaled decongestants are better than forms taken by mouth for relieving nasal congestion. However, using inhaled forms for more than 3 to 5 days, then stopping, may make congestion worse than it was originally. Ipratropium, a nasal spray available only by prescription, helps dry a runny nose.
Older antihistamines, such as chlorpheniramine, can cause drowsiness. Newer antihistamines, such as loratadine, are less likely to cause drowsiness but are ineffective for treating the common cold.
Decongestants and antihistamines should not be given to children under 4 years old.
NSAIDs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, can relieve aches and pains and reduce fever, as can acetaminophen. Aspirin is generally not recommended for children because in children, it increases the risk of Reye syndrome Reye Syndrome Reye syndrome is a very rare but life-threatening disorder that causes inflammation and swelling of the brain and impairment and loss of function of the liver. The cause of Reye syndrome is... read more , which is a rare but life-threatening disorder.
Cough suppressants are not routinely recommended because coughing is a good way to clear secretions and debris from the airways during a viral infection. However, a severe cough that interferes with sleep or causes great discomfort can be treated with a cough suppressant. |
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