Common Cold

The common cold is a viral infection of your nose and throat (upper respiratory tract). It's usually harmless, although it might not feel that way. Many types of viruses can cause a common cold.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a common cold usually appear one to three days after exposure to a cold-causing virus. Signs and symptoms, which can vary from person to person, might include:

Runny or stuffy nose
Sore throat
Cough
Congestion
Slight body aches or a mild headache
Sneezing
Low-grade fever
Generally feeling unwell (malaise)

When to see a doctor

For adults — seek medical attention if you have:

Fever greater than 101.3 F (38.5 C)
Fever lasting five days or more or returning after a fever-free period
Shortness of breath
Wheezing
Severe sore throat, headache or sinus pain

For children — in general, your child doesn't need to see the doctor for a common cold. But seek medical attention right away if your child has any of the following:

Fever of 100.4 F (38 C) in newborns up to 12 weeks
Rising fever or fever lasting more than two days in a child of any age
Symptoms that worsen or fail to improve
Severe symptoms, such as headache or cough
Wheezing
Ear pain
Extreme fussiness
Unusual drowsiness
Lack of appetite

Prevention

There's no vaccine for the common cold, but you can take common-sense precautions to slow the spread of cold viruses:

Wash your hands.
Disinfect your stuff.
Use tissues.
Don't share.
Steer clear of colds. Avoid close contact with anyone who has a cold.
Choose your child care center wisely.
Take care of yourself. Eating well, getting exercise and enough sleep, and managing stress might help you keep colds at bay.

Treatment

There's no cure for the common cold. Antibiotics are of no use against cold viruses and shouldn't be used unless there's a bacterial infection. Treatment is directed at relieving signs and symptoms.

Pros and cons of commonly used cold remedies include:

Pain relievers..
Decongestant nasal sprays.
Cough syrups.

Causes & Mode of Transmission

Although many types of viruses can cause a common cold, rhinoviruses are the most common culprit.

A cold virus enters your body through your mouth, eyes or nose. The virus can spread through droplets in the air when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes or talks.

It also spreads by hand-to-hand contact with someone who has a cold or by sharing contaminated objects, such as utensils, towels, toys or telephones. If you touch your eyes, nose or mouth after such contact or exposure, you're likely to catch a cold.

Risk Factors

These factors can increase your chances of getting a cold:

Age. Children younger than six are at greatest risk of colds, especially if they spend time in child-care settings.
Weakened immune system. Having a chronic illness or otherwise weakened immune system increases your risk.
Time of year. Both children and adults are more susceptible to colds in fall and winter, but you can get a cold any time.
Smoking. You're more likely to catch a cold and to have more severe colds if you smoke.
Exposure. If you're around many people, such as at school or on an airplane, you're likely to be exposed to viruses that cause colds.

Mode of Transmission

The common cold virus is typically transmitted via airborne droplets (aerosols), direct contact with infected nasal secretions, or fomites (contaminated objects). Which of these routes is of primary importance has not been determined; however, hand-to-hand and hand-to-surface-to-hand contact seems of more importance than transmission via aerosols.The viruses may survive for prolonged periods in the environment (over 18 hours for rhinoviruses) and can be picked up by people's hands and subsequently carried to their eyes or nose where infection occurs. Transmission is common in daycare and at school due to the proximity of many children with little immunity and frequently poor hygiene. These infections are then brought home to other members of the family.There is no evidence that recirculated air during commercial flight is a method of transmission. People sitting in close proximity appear to be at greater risk of infection.

Rhinovirus-caused colds are most infectious during the first three days of symptoms; they are much less infectious afterwards