Causes

The easiest way to catch a cold is from other people: by shaking their hands, being near their sneezes, or touching things they have touched. You can’t catch a cold by walking in the rain, failing to bundle up in cold weather, or sitting by a draft.

Symptoms

The onset of symptoms is rapid. They worsen during the first 3 to 5 days and then slowly improve. Symptoms of a cold include:

• Sore or scratchy throat, mild hoarseness, cough
• Runny nose or congestion
• Fever (usually does not exceed 102°F and can last up to 3 days)
• Minor aches

Sinus congestion, colored discharge, and headaches often accompany colds and do not necessarily indicate that a serious infection is present. Some loss of appetite or difficulty sleeping is also normal with colds.

Prevention

To prevent the spread of viral upper respiratory infections, remember the following:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 15 to 30 seconds.
• Keep your hands away from your nose, eyes, and mouth. If cold germs get on your hands, you can infect yourself by rubbing your eyes or touching your nose or mouth.
• Wash your hands after handling objects such as doorknobs, telephones, or toys.
• Wash your hands if you have a cold to avoid infecting others.
• Keep a distance from people who are coughing and sneezing.
• Limit the time you stay in the same room with someone who is ill.
• Avoid exposure to the virus. Crowds of people may mean a lot of virus in the air. If you are sick, stay home and get the rest you need.
• Don’t share your personal items, including towels, washcloths, silverware, cups, glasses, straws, razors, and toothbrushes.
• Keep up your resistance to infection with a good diet, plenty of rest, and regular exercise.

Self-Care

• Over-the-counter nasal sprays or decongestants may provide temporary relief of cold symptoms. Be sure to follow the recommended dosage and precautions, and read about potential side effects. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary artery disease, thyroid disease, or are pregnant, check with your doctor before using over-the-counter medications.
• Zinc gluconate may decrease the length of a cold if it is taken within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. It may cause nausea and a bad taste in your mouth. Children, pregnant women, and people with chronic kidney or liver disease should not use zinc.
• Raise the humidity at home. You can sit in a bathroom with a hot shower running or use a humidifier/vaporizer (a cool mist is preferred because it is safer). If using a humidifier, empty and clean it daily following the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Drink extra fluids to prevent dehydration and loosen mucus. Warm fluids, such as chicken noodle soup, are especially soothing for irritated throats.
• Sleep with your head raised on pillows to relieve nasal congestion.
• Gargle with saltwater or suck hard candy. Homemade saltwater (¼ teaspoon salt dissolved in 8 ounces warm water) will help relieve a sore throat. Hard candy is just as effective for sore throats as cough drops.
• Remain up and about. You will benefit from extra rest, but generally you’ll feel better by staying moderately active.
• Try saline nose drops or sprays, such as Ocean or Salinex.

Call your doctor if:

• Your symptoms are worse after 3 to 5 days of self-care.
• You are not feeling better after 7 days of self-care.
• You still have symptoms after 14 days of self-care.
• Your child has cold symptoms and a fever lasting longer than 72 hours or associated with symptoms of ear infections.

Special Care for Children

• Over-the-counter medicine is not recommended for children without a doctor’s input.
• Encourage children to drink a lot of fluids and stay active if they do not feel too tired. Do not treat cold symptoms in anyone under the age of 21 with aspirin-containing products.
• Call your doctor for advice if your child has bothersome cold symptoms and a fever lasting longer than 72 hours. It is important to assess fever in the context of other cold symptoms. For children, a fever is defined as a rectal temperature over 100.4°F or an oral temperature over 99.5°F.
• For infants younger than 3 months, call your doctor if the rectal temperature is over 100.4°F or if the infant is feeding poorly, can’t be comforted, can’t stay awake, or has a weak cry.