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Common (?) cold
Excerpted From: MedlinePlus Updated: Saturday, July 05, 2008
Alternative names: Upper respiratory infection - viral; Cold
Common Cold
Sneezing, a scratchy 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 world suffer billions of 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 - but not aspirin for children
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
We call it the “common cold” for good reason. There are over one billion colds in the United States each year. You and your children will probably have more colds than any other type of illness. Children average 3 to 8 colds per year. They continue getting them throughout childhood. Parents often get them from the kids. It’s the most common reason that children miss school and parents miss work.
Children usually get colds from other children. When a new strain is introduced into a school or day care, it quickly travels through the class.
Colds can occur year-round, but they occur mostly in the winter (even in areas with mild winters). In areas where there is no winter, colds are most common during the rainy season.
When someone has a cold, their runny nose is teeming with cold viruses. Sneezing, nose-blowing, and nose-wiping spread the virus. You can catch a cold by inhaling the virus if you are sitting close to someone who sneezes, or by touching your nose, eyes, or mouth after you have touched something contaminated by the virus.
People are most contagious for the first 2 to 3 days of a cold, and usually not contagious at all by day 7 to 10.
Symptoms:
The three most frequent symptoms of a cold are:
· runny nose
· nasal congestion
· sneezing
Adults and older children with colds generally have minimal or no fever. Young children, however, often run a fever around 100-102°F.
Once you have "caught" a cold, the symptoms usually begin in 2 or 3 days, though it may take a week. Typically, an irritated nose or scratchy throat is the first sign, followed within hours by sneezing and a watery nasal discharge.
Within one to three days, the nasal secretions usually become thicker and perhaps yellow or green. This is a normal part of the common cold and not a reason for antibiotics.
Depending on which virus is the culprit, the virus might also produce
· Sore throat
· Cough
· Muscle aches
· Headache
· Postnasal drip
· Decreased appetite
Still, if it is indeed a cold, the most prominent symptoms will be in the nose.
For children with asthma, colds are the most common trigger of asthma symptoms.
Colds are a common precursor of ear infections. However, children's eardrums are usually congested during a cold, and it's possible to have fluid buildup without a true bacterial infection.
The entire cold is usually over all by itself in about 7 days, with perhaps a few lingering symptoms (such as cough) for another week. If it lasts longer, consider another problem, such as a sinus infection or allergies.
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... Self-care
You may not be able to cure your common cold, but you can make yourself as comfortable as possible. These tips may help:
· Drink lots of fluids. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and cigarette smoke, which can cause dehydration and aggravate your symptoms.
· Get some rest. Consider staying home from work if you have a fever or a bad cough, or are drowsy from medications. This will give you a chance to rest as well as reduce the chances that you'll infect others. Wear a mask when you have a cold if you live or work with someone with a chronic disease or compromised immune system.
· Adjust your room's temperature and humidity. Keep your room warm, but not overheated. If the air is dry, a cool-mist humidifier or vaporizer can moisten the air and help ease congestion and coughing. Be sure to keep the humidifier clean to prevent the growth of bacteria and molds.
· Soothe your throat. Gargling with warm salt water several times a day or drinking warm lemon water with honey may help soothe a sore throat and relieve a cough.
· Use nasal drops. To help relieve nasal congestion, try saline nasal drops. You can purchase these drops over-the-counter, and they're effective, safe and non-irritating, even for children. To use them, instill several drops into one nostril, then immediately bulb suction that nostril. Repeat the process in the opposite nostril.
Other Remedies
Herbs and minerals such as echinacea, eucalyptus, garlic, honey, lemon, menthol, zinc, and vitamin C have gotten a lot of publicity as cold remedies. However, none of these claims are solidly supported by scientific studies.
Adequate liquid intake is recommended. Eight glasses of water and/or juice per day are recommended. This will help keep the lining of the nose and throat from drying out, so that mucus remains moist and easy to clear from the nose.
Avoid coffee, tea or cola drinks that contain caffeine. Also avoid any drinks that contain alcohol. Caffeine and alcohol lead to dehydration, the opposite of what you want.
If you smoke, stop! Stay away from other smokers; inhaling their smoke will further irritate your throat and make you cough even more.
If you must work or go to school, it won't delay your recovery. But be a good citizen. Use tissues and wash your hands frequently to reduce the spread of your cold germs to others.
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well,
even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers. (3 John 2) Amp
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