Common Conditions

5 Main Symptoms of The Common Cold

Runny nose and sore throat usually are the first indications of a cold, followed up by sneezing and coughing. How long does the common cold last? The majority of folks recover in around 7 to 10 days. It’s possible to help decrease your risk of getting a cold: frequently wash your hands, avoid close proximity with sick individuals, and do not come into contact with your face using unwashed hands.

Common colds include the primary reason that adults miss work and kids miss school. Every year in the U.S., there are millions of common cold cases. Adults have, on average, around 2 to 3 colds a year, and kids have more.

The majority of folks get colds in the spring and winter, yet you can get a cold any time of year. Common cold symptoms typically include:

  • Body aches
  • Headaches
  • Sneezing
  • Coughing
  • Runny nose
  • Sore throat

The majority of folks recover in approximately 7 to 10 days. But people who have asthma, weakened immune systems, or respiratory disorders might develop severe illness, like pneumonia or bronchitis.

How You Can Protect Yourself

Viruses which trigger colds may spread from infected individuals to other people through close personal contact and through the air. It’s also possible to get infected through respiratory secretions from an infected individual or contact with stool. It may occur as you shake hands with somebody with a cold, or come into contact with a surface, such as a doorknob, with respiratory viruses on it, and touch your nose, mouth, or eyes.

It’s possible to help decrease your risk of obtaining a cold:

  • Frequently wash your hands with water and soap. Wash them for twenty seconds and assist young kids in doing the same. If water and soap aren’t available, utilize an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Viruses which trigger colds may live on the hands, and consistent handwashing will help protect you from becoming ill.
  • Avoid touching the mouth, nose, and eyes using unwashed hands. Viruses which trigger colds may enter the body that way and make you ill.
  • Avoid sick people. People who are sick may spread viruses which lead to the common cold through close proximity with other people.

How You Can Protect Other People

If you’re experiencing a cold, you ought to follow these ideas to assist in preventing spreading it to others:

  • Remain at home while you’re sick and keep kids out of daycare or school when they’re ill.
  • Avoid close proximity with other people, like shaking hands, kissing, or hugging.
  • Move away from others before you cough or sneeze.
  • Sneeze and cough into a tissue and toss it out, or sneeze and cough into an upper shirt sleeve, fully covering your nose and mouth.
  • Wash hands after blowing your nose, sneezing, or coughing.
  • Disinfect all frequently touched objects and surfaces, like doorknobs and toys.

There isn’t any vaccine that can protect you against common colds.

How to Feel Better: Common Cold Treatment

There isn’t any cure for a cold. In order to feel better, you ought to get a lot of rest and consume an abundance of fluids. OTC meds might aid in easing symptoms yet won’t make a cold go away any quicker. Always check the label and use medicines as instructed. Speak with your physician before you give your son or daughter non-prescription cold meds, since some of them contain ingredients which aren’t suggested for kids.

Antibiotics won’t aid you in recovering from a cold that is caused by a respiratory virus. They don’t work against viruses, and they’ll make it more difficult for your body to battle future bacterial infections if you unnecessarily consume them. 

For more information on the common cold contact Bass Medical today!