Description

The common cold is a disease that affects your nose and throat. Most often, it is harmless, but it is possible that you do not feel that way. Germs called viruses that cause the common cold.

Often, the adults can have two or three colds each year. Babies and toddlers can have colds more often.

Most people recover from a common cold, in 7 to 10 days. The symptoms may last longer in people who smoke. More often, you do not need medical attention from a common cold. If the symptoms do not improve or if they get worse, check with your health care provider.

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

Symptoms

Most often, the symptoms of the common cold start 1 to 3 days after someone is exposed to a cold virus. The symptoms vary. These may include:

  • Runny or stuffy nose.
  • Pain or irritation of the throat.
  • For cough.
  • Sneezing.
  • The overall feeling of discomfort.
  • Slight body aches or a mild headache.
  • Low-grade fever.

The mucus of the nose may start to clear and become thicker and yellow or green. This change is normal. Most often, this does not mean that you have a bacterial disease.

When to see a doctor

For adults. More often, you do not need medical attention from a common cold. But talk to your doctor if you have:

  • The symptoms worsen or do not improve.
  • Fever of 101.3 ° f (38.5 degrees Celsius) that lasts for more than three days.
  • The fever returning after a fever-free period.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Wheezing.
  • Intense sore throat, headache, or pain in the sinuses.

For the children. The majority of children with a common cold do not need to see a health care provider. Get medical attention immediately if your child has any of the following:

  • Fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) in newborns up to 12 weeks.
  • The rising fever or fever lasting more than two days in a child of any age.
  • More severe symptoms, such as headache, sore throat, or cough.
  • Difficulty breathing or wheezing.
  • The ear pain.
  • Irritability or sleepiness that is not typical.
  • There is No interest in the food.

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 be transmitted by:

  • Of suspended droplets in the air when a sick person coughs, sneezes, or speaks.
  • Hand-to-hand contact with someone who has a cold.
  • Share 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. Babies and young children have a greater risk of colds than other people, especially if they spend time in child care settings.
  • Weakened immune system. Have a long-term illness or a weakened immune system, increases your risk.
  • The time of year. Both children and adults are more likely to get colds in the fall and winter.
  • The habit of smoking. Smoking or being around second-hand smoke increases the risk of catching a cold.
  • Of the exposure. To be in crowds, such as at school or in a plane, it increases the chance of catching a cold.

Complications

These conditions can occur together with its cold:

  • Infection of the middle ear. This is the swelling and the accumulation of fluid in the space behind the eardrum. It can be caused by a virus or a bacterium. Typical signs and symptoms include pain in the ears, or the return of a fever following a common cold.
  • Asthma. A cold can trigger wheezing, even in people who do not have asthma. For people with asthma, a cold can make it worse.
  • The Sinusitis. In adults or children, a cold that lasts for a period of time can lead to inflammation and pain in the sinuses. These are air-filled spaces in the skull above the eyes and around the nose. A virus or bacteria can cause sinusitis.
  • Other diseases. A common cold can lead to diseases of the lungs, such as pneumonia or bronchitis. People with asthma or weakened immune systems have an increased risk of these conditions.

Prevention

There is a vaccine for the common cold. You can take these steps to reduce the spread of the virus and prevent the disease:

  • Wash your hands. Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Teach your children the importance of washing hands. Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • To clean and disinfect. Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched. 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. The sneezing and coughing into tissues. Throw away used tissues immediately, and then wash your hands. If you do not have a tissue, sneeze or cough into the bend of your elbow, and then wash your hands.
  • Do not share. Do not share drinking glasses or eating utensils with other members of the family.
  • Stay away from people with colds. Avoid close contact with someone who has a cold. Stay out of the 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 environment with good hygiene practices and clear policies about keeping sick children at home.
  • Take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise and get enough sleep to help you stay healthy.

Diagnosis

You do not need medical attention from a common cold. But if the symptoms get worse or do not go away, talk to your health care provider.

The majority of people with a common cold can be diagnosed by the symptoms. Your health care provider can take a nasal or throat swab to rule out other diseases. A chest x-ray may be ordered to rule out a pulmonary disease.

Treatment

There is No cure for the common cold. The majority of cases of the common cold get better without treatment within 7 to 10 days. But the cough may last for a couple more days.

The best thing you can do is to take care of yourself while your body heals. Tips for the care of include:

  • Rest.
  • Drink plenty of fluids.
  • Humidify the air.
  • The use of nasal washes with saline solution.

Antibiotics do not cure the virus of the common cold. It is used to treat diseases caused by bacteria.

Pain relievers

The non-prescription pain relievers can reduce the discomfort of a sore throat, headache, or fever.

For adults. Non-prescription pain relief for adults includes:

  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).
  • Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others).

For the children. Guidelines for the relief of pain medications for children are the following:

  • Do not give children or teenagers aspirin. Aspirin has been associated with Reye's syndrome, a rare life-threatening condition, in children or teenagers who have the flu or chickenpox.
  • Use children-strength, non-prescription pain relievers. These include children's acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others).
  • For children under 3 months of age, do not use paracetamol until your baby has been seen by a health care provider.
  • Do not give ibuprofen to children under 6 months of age or for children who are vomiting frequently.
  • The use of these medications for the shortest time possible and follow the label instructions to avoid side effects.
  • Call your health care provider if you have questions about the correct 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 the symptoms.

For the children. Children under 6 years of age should not use decongestant drops or sprays. Talk with your doctor before using nasal decongestants in children older than 6 years.

Cough syrups

Otc cough and cold medicines are used to treat the symptoms of coughs and colds, not the underlying disease. The research suggests that these drugs do not work best to treat colds, that an inactive placebo medication used in the research.

For adults. Follow these tips for the over-the-counter cough and cold:

  • Please read and follow the instructions on the label.
  • Not taking the two medicines with the same active ingredient, such as antihistamines, decongestants or pain reliever. Too much of a single ingredient could lead to an accidental overdose.

For the children. Otc cough and cold medicines that are normally not recommended for children. These medications can have serious side effects, including overdose deaths in children under 2 years of age. Talk with your child's doctor before using any over-the-counter cough and cold medicines in children.

Lifestyle and home remedies

To make you as comfortable as possible when you have a cold, try these tips:

  • Drink plenty of fluids. Water, juice, clear broth or warm lemon water are good choices. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can increase the loss of fluids.
  • Sip warm liquids. Chicken soup, tea or warm apple juice or other hot liquids can soothe a sore throat and loosen the nasal congestion. Honey can help to cough in adults and children over 1 year of age. Try it in hot tea. Do not give honey to children under 1 year of age due to the risk of a disease called infant botulism.
  • Rest. Rest as much as possible. Stay home from work or school if you have a fever or severe cough. Do not go if you are sleepy after taking the medicine.
  • Adjust the room temperature and humidity. Keep your room warm, but not too hot. If the air is dry, a cool-mist humidifier can help with congestion and cough. Clean the humidifier as directed to prevent the growth of bacteria and molds.
  • The use of a gargle with salt water. Gargle salt water 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (1250 2500 grams) of table salt in 4 to 8 ounces (120 to 240 ml) of warm water can help soothe a sore throat. Gargle with the solution and then spit it out. The majority of children under the age of 6 years are not able to gargle properly.
  • Try some throat soothers. The use of ice cubes, lozenges or hard candy to soothe a sore throat. Use caution when giving out pills or candy for the children because they can choke on. Do not give lozenges or hard candy to children younger than 6 years.
  • Try saline nasal drops, or aerosols. Saline nasal drops or sprays can keep the nasal passages moist and loosen the mucus.
  • The use of a suction bulb to the younger children. In infants and young children, apply saline nasal drops, wait for a short period, and then use a suction bulb to draw out the mucus from each nostril. Insert the syringe bulb around 1/4 to 1/2 inch (6 to 12 mm).

Alternative medicine

The science is not clear on the alternative cold remedies, such as vitamin C, echinacea and zinc. Because studies of alternative remedies for cold in children are limited, these remedies are most often not recommended for use in children. Here is an update of some popular options:

Vitamin C

Taking vitamin C is unlikely to prevent the common cold. Some studies have found that taking vitamin C before the cold of the onset of symptoms may shorten the length of time you have symptoms.

Echinacea

The results of the study to the echinacea mix. Some studies show no benefit. Others show that echinacea can help relieve the symptoms and shorten the recovery time when taken in the early stages of a cold. Different types of echinacea used in different studies may be a reason for mixed results.

Echinacea seems to work best if you take it when you notice the symptoms of a cold and continue for 7 to 10 days. It appears to be safe for healthy adults, but it can interact with many medicines. Check with your doctor before taking echinacea or any other supplement.

Zinc

Several studies show that zinc supplementation can reduce the duration of a cold. But the research has turned up mixed results about zinc and colds.

Some studies show that zinc lozenges or syrup to reduce the duration of a cold by about a day, especially when taken within 24 to 48 hours of the first signs and symptoms of a cold.

Zinc also has potentially harmful side effects. Intranasal zinc may cause permanent damage to the sense of smell. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning against the use of zinc-containing nasal, cold remedies, because they are associated with a long-lasting or permanent loss of the sense of smell.

Talk with your doctor before considering the use of zinc to prevent or reduce the duration of colds.

Preparing for your appointment

If you or your child has cold symptoms that do not go away or gets worse, make an appointment with your health care provider. Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

Make a list of:

  • Your or your child's symptoms and when they began.
  • Key personal information, including major stresses, other health conditions and exposure to the people who have been sick.
  • The drugs, vitamins or supplements that you or your child need.
  • Questions to ask your health care provider.

For those of a common cold, such questions may include:

  • What is likely the cause of these symptoms?
  • There are other possible causes?
  • Are tests needed?
  • What treatment approach do you recommend?
  • What treatments should be avoided?
  • How soon do you expect the symptoms to improve?
  • Is my child, or am I contagious? When it is safe to return to school or to work?
  • What self-care steps can help?
  • I or my child have other health conditions. How can we manage together?

Do not hesitate to ask questions during your appointment.

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care provider is likely to ask you questions, such as:

  • How long have you had symptoms?
  • The symptoms have been ongoing?
  • On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the severity of the symptoms?
  • What symptoms improve and then get worse?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • What, if anything, makes symptoms worse?

Your care provider will ask you more questions based on your responses, symptoms, and needs. The preparation for the questions they will help you make the most of your time with the provider.

Symptoms and treatment of the Common cold