Common cold

Common cold

Overview

The common cold is an illness affecting your nose and throat. Most often, it's harmless, but it might not feel that way. Germs called viruses cause a common cold.

Often, adults may have two or three colds each year. Infants and young children may have colds more often.

Most people recover from a common cold in 7 to 10 days. Symptoms might last longer in people who smoke. Most often, you don't need medical care for a common cold. If symptoms don't get better or if they get worse, see your health care provider.

Illnesses of the nose and throat caused by germs are called upper respiratory tract infections.

Symptoms

Common cold symptoms typically appear in stages. The common cold stages include early, active and late.

Stage 1: Early (Days 1 to 3)

Within one to three days of picking up a cold virus, you may notice a tickle in your throat. About half of all people with colds report a tickly or sore throat as their first symptom. Other common cold symptoms you may experience during this early stage include:

Sneezing.

Runny nose.

Stuffy nose (nasal congestion).

Cough.

Hoarseness.

Stage 2: Active (Days 4 to 7)

Symptoms typically worsen or peak during this stage. In addition to the symptoms in stage 1, you may experience:

Body aches.

Headache.

Runny eyes and nose.

Fatigue.

Fever (more common in children).

Stage 3: Late (Days 8 to 10)

Colds usually begin to wind down during this stage. You may be free and clear at this point. But some symptoms can persist. Some people develop a nagging cough that can last up to two months after a respiratory infection.

If your symptoms get worse and/or your fever returns, make a trip to a healthcare provider. You may have developed another infection or a complication, such as bronchitis, sinusitis or pneumonia

What are the symptoms of the common cold in babies?

Symptoms of colds in babies may include:

Runny nose (the discharge may start clear; later, it becomes thicker and may be gray, yellow or green).

Sneezing.

Fever of 101 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 to 38.9 degrees Celsius).

Loss of appetite.

Increased drooling because of sore throat and difficulty swallowing.

Cough.

Irritability.

Slightly swollen glands.

How do cold symptoms differ from more severe infections in babies and children?

If your child has any of the following symptoms, call their healthcare provider. These symptoms could mean that your child has something more serious than a cold:

Fever in an infant 2 months or younger.

Difficulty breathing (especially if your baby’s or child’s nostrils widen with each breath).

Fast or labored breathing.

Wheezing.

Ribs showing with each breath.

Blue lips.

Not eating or drinking, which could mean dehydration.

Ear pain.

Excessive crankiness or sleepiness.

A cough that lasts more than 3 weeks.

Your baby seems to be getting sicker.

Causes

Many viruses can cause a common cold. Rhinoviruses are the most common cause.

A cold virus enters the body through the mouth, eyes or nose. The virus can spread by:

Droplets in the air when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes or talks.

Hand-to-hand contact with someone who has a cold.

Sharing objects with the virus on them, such as dishes, towels, toys or telephones.

Touching your eyes, nose or mouth after contact with the virus.

Risk factors

These factors can increase the chances of getting a cold:

Age. Infants and young children have a greater risk of colds than other people, especially if they spend time in child care settings.

Weakened immune system. Having a long-term illness or weakened immune system increases your risk.

Time of year. Both children and adults are more likely to get colds in fall and winter.

Smoking. Smoking or being around secondhand smoke increases the risk of catching a cold.

Exposure. Being in crowds, such as at school or on an airplane, increases the chance of getting a cold.

Complications

These conditions can occur along with your cold:

Middle ear infection. This is the swelling and build-up of fluids in the space behind the eardrum. It may be caused by a virus or bacteria. Typical signs and symptoms include earaches or the return of a fever following a common cold.

Asthma. A cold can trigger wheezing, even in people who don't have asthma. For people with asthma, a cold can make it worse.

Sinusitis. In adults or children, a common cold that lasts a while can lead to swelling and pain in the sinuses. These are air-filled spaces in the skull above the eyes and around the nose. A virus or bacteria may cause sinusitis.

Other illnesses. A common cold can lead to illnesses of the lungs, such as pneumonia or bronchitis. People with asthma or weakened immune systems have an increased risk of these conditions.

Prevention

There's no vaccine for the common cold. You can take these steps to slow the spread of the virus and prevent illness:

Wash your hands. Wash your hands well and often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Teach your children the importance of hand-washing. Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.

Clean and disinfect. Clean and disinfect surfaces that are touched often. These include doorknobs, light switches, electronics, and kitchen and bathroom countertops. This is especially important when someone in your family has a cold. Wash children's toys often.

Cover your cough. Sneeze and cough into tissues. Throw away used tissues right away, and then wash your hands. If you don't have a tissue, sneeze or cough into the bend of your elbow, and then wash your hands.

Don't share. Don't share drinking glasses or silverware with other family members.

Stay away from people with colds. Avoid close contact with anyone who has a cold. Stay out of crowds when possible. Try not to touch your eyes, nose and mouth when you're in crowds.

Review your child care center's policies. Look for a child care setting with good hygiene practices and clear policies about keeping sick children at home.

Take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise and get plenty of sleep to help you stay healthy.

Diagnosis

You usually don't need medical care for a common cold. But if symptoms get worse or don't go away, see your health care provider.

Most people with a common cold can be diagnosed by their symptoms. Your care provider may take a nasal or throat swab to rule out other illnesses. A chest X-ray may be ordered to rule out a lung illness.

Treatment

There's no cure for the common cold. Most cases of the common cold get better without treatment within 7 to 10 days. But a cough may last a few more days.

The best thing you can do is take care of yourself while your body heals. Care tips include:

Rest.

Drink plenty of liquids.

Humidify the air.

Use saline nasal rinses.

Antibiotics do not treat cold viruses. They are used to treat illnesses caused by bacteria.

Pain relievers

Pain relievers you can buy without a prescription can lessen the discomfort of a sore throat, headache or fever.

For adults. Nonprescription pain relief for adults includes:

Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).

Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others).

For children. Guidelines for pain relief medicines for children include the following:

Do not give children or teenagers aspirin. Aspirin has been linked to Reye's syndrome, a rare life-threatening condition, in children or teenagers who have the flu or chickenpox.

Use children-strength, nonprescription pain relievers. These include children's acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others).

For children younger than 3 months old, don't use acetaminophen until your baby has been seen by a health care provider.

Don't give ibuprofen to a child younger than 6 months old or to children who are vomiting frequently.

Use these medicines for the shortest time possible and follow label directions to avoid side effects.

Call your health care provider if you have questions about the right dose.

Decongestant nasal sprays

For adults. Adults can use decongestant drops or sprays for up to five days. These help a stuffy nose. Prolonged use can cause the return of symptoms.

For children. Children younger than 6 years old shouldn't use decongestant drops or sprays. Talk to your doctor before using nasal decongestants in children older than 6 years.

Cough syrups

Nonprescription cough and cold medicines are used to treat the symptoms of coughs and colds, not the underlying disease. Research suggests that these medicines don't work any better to treat colds than a placebo, an inactive medicine used in research.

For adults. Follow these tips for nonprescription cough and cold medicines:

Read and follow the label directions.

Don't take two medicines with the same active ingredient, such as an antihistamine, decongestant or pain reliever. Too much of a single ingredient could lead to an accidental overdose.

For children. Nonprescription cough and cold medicines aren't typically recommended for children. These medicines have potentially serious side effects, including fatal overdoses in children younger than 2 years old. Talk to your child's doctor before using any nonprescription cough and cold medicine in children.

Type of Doctor Department : Family doctor, or urgent care doctor