The common cold is all too common
Definition
The common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory system. The upper respiratory system includes the nose, throat, sinuses, eustachian (pronounced yoo-STA-shuhn) tubes, trachea (pronounced TRAY-kee-uh), larynx, and bronchial tubes. More than two hundred different viruses can cause a cold. A group of viruses known as the rhinoviruses, however, causes about 30 to 50 percent of all colds. Almost all colds clear up in less than two weeks without complications.
Cold symptoms
Everyone knows the symptoms of the common cold. It is probably the most common illness. In the course of a year, people in the U.S. suffer 1 billion colds. The average person suffers through two colds a year.
A cold frequently has these symptoms: Cough, headache, hoarseness, muscle ache, nasal drainage, nasal congestion, scratchy throat, sore throat, sneezing, and fever (assessed by oral temperature). You know it when you’ve got it.
If you have a cold, please don’t spread the problem unnecessarily. Cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm instead of into your hands. Hands are the best way to spread germs.
Avoid a cold if you can
You can get a cold by touching your eyes or nose after you touch surfaces with cold germs on them. You can also inhale the germs. Symptoms usually begin 2 or 3 days after infection and last 2 to 14 days. Washing your hands and staying away from people with colds will help you avoid colds.
Cold Relief
There is no known medical cure for the common cold. However, there may be some natural approaches to avoiding a cold, and then shortening the time that you have to suffer from one. We offer the ideas found on these pages.
Online Medical Resources
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