Common Cold Summary Sneezing, sore throat, a stuffy nose, coughing – everyone knows the symptoms of the common cold. It is probably the most common illness. In the course of a year, people in the United States suffer 1 billion colds. 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. There is no cure for the common cold. For relief, try Getting plenty of rest Drinking fluids Gargling with warm salt water Using cough drops or throat sprays Taking over-the-counter pain or cold medicines However, do not give aspirin to children. And do not give cough medicine to children under four. NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Specifics Catching a Cold When It’s Warm National Institutes of Health Children Chilling Out with Colds Nemours Foundation Common Cold in Babies Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Have a Baby or Young Child With a Cold? Most Don’t Need Medicines Food and Drug Administration Is It a Cold or the Flu (For Parents)? Nemours Foundation Questions and Answers: Runny Nose (with Green or Yellow Mucus) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Common Cold National Institutes of Health Diagnosis and Tests Cold and Flu American Academy of Family Physicians Cold, Flu, or Allergy? Know the Difference for Best Treatment National Institutes of Health Is It a Cold or an Allergy? National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Is It a Cold or the Flu? National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Start Here Colds and the Flu American Academy of Family Physicians Common Cold National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Facts about the Common Cold American Lung Association Get Set for Winter Illness Season Food and Drug Administration Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work – Common Cold and Runny Nose Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Encyclopedia Colds and the flu – what to ask your doctor – adult Colds and the flu – what to ask your doctor – child Sneezing Vitamin C and colds Related Issues Colds, Allergies and Sinusitis – How to Tell the Difference American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Humidifiers: Air Moisture Eases Skin, Breathing Symptoms Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Limit Asthma Attacks Caused by Colds or Flu Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Respiratory Syncytial Virus National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Rhinovirus Infections American Academy of Pediatrics Runny Nose Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Array Common cold Common cold – how to treat at home Stuffy or runny nose – adult Stuffy or runny nose – children Teenagers Coping with Colds Nemours Foundation Treatments and Therapies Flu and Colds: In Depth National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Time To Talk About Natural Products for the Flu and Colds: What Does the Science Say? National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Statistics and Research Meditation or Exercise May Help Acute Respiratory Infections National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Study Finds Association between Biological Marker and Susceptibility to the Common Cold National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Find an Expert National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Journal Articles Common Cold Prevention and Risk Factors Stopping the Spread of Germs at Home, Work and School Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Reference Desk Understanding Colds: Anatomy of the Nose Commoncold, Inc.
