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Common ColdTips
The common cold (also known as "acute nasopharyngitis")is a mild viral infectious disease of the
nose and throat; the upper respiratory system. Symptoms include sneezing, sniffling,running/blocked nose (often these occur simultaneously, or in only one nostril);scratchy, sore, or phlegmy throat; coughing; headache; and tiredness. Colds typicallylast three to five days, with residual coughing lasting up to three weeks. Asits name suggests, it is the most common of all human diseases, infecting subjectsat an average rate of slightly over one infection per year per person. Infectionrates greater than three infections per year per person are not uncommon in somepopulations. Children and their caretakers are at a higher risk, probably dueto the high population density of schools and the fact that transmission to familymembers is highly efficient.
The common cold belongs to the upper respiratorytract infections. It is different from influenza, a more severe viral infectionof the respiratory tract that shows the additional symptoms of rapidly risingfever, chills, and body and muscle aches. While the common cold itself is hardlylife threatening, its complications, such as pneumonia, can very well be.
LastUpdated - 6th January 2006
Cold occur throughout the year but are most common in late winterand early spring. There is no cure for the common cold. If you cath a cold, youmust treat the symptoms as using amouthwash will not prevent a cold nor will antibioticscure a cold. A cold usually lasts about 1 to 2 weeks is is brought on by any ofa number of viruses. If a person seems to have a cold all of the time, or if symptomslast much longer than 2 weeks, suspect allergies or sinusitis.
Symptoms
- Runnynose
- Red eyes
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Dry cough
- Headache
- General body aches
Prevention
Thebest way to avoid a cold is to avoid close contact with existing sufferers, towash hands thoroughly and regularly, and to avoid touching the face. Anti-bacterialsoaps have no effect on the cold virus - it is the mechanical action of hand washingthat removes the virus particles.
Because of the large variety of virusescausing the common cold, vaccination is impractical.
- Eat well.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Exercise regularly.
- Try to avoidpeople with colds.
- Keep your hands away from your nose, eyes and mouthbut cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.
- Wash your hands often.
- Humidify your bedrooms or your whole house, if possible.
- Donot smoke.
- Home treatment for a cold will help relieve symptoms and preventcomplications.
Home Treatment
Thereis no cure for the common cold, i.e. there is no treatment that directly fightsthe virus. Only the body's immune system can effectively destroy the invader.A cold may be composed of several million viral particles, and typically withina few days the body begins mass producing a better tailored antibody that canprevent the virus from infecting cells, as well as white blood cells which destroythe virus through phagocytosis and destroy infected cells to prevent further viralreplication. Furthermore the duration of infection is on the order of a few daysto one week so at most a "cure" could hope to reduce the duration byonly a few days.
Available treatments therefore focus on relieving the symptoms.
Commontreatments include: analgesics such as aspirin or acetaminophen, as well as localisedversions targeting the throat (often delivered in lozenge form), nasal decongestantswhich reduce the inflammation in the nasal passages by constricting local bloodvessels, cough suppressants (which work to suppress the cough reflex of the brainor by diluting the mucus in the lungs), and first-generation anti-histamines suchas brompheniramine, chlorpheniramine, and clemastine (which reduce mucus glandsecretion and thus combat blocked/runny noses but also may make the user drowsy).Second generation anti-histamines do not have a useful effect on colds.
- Getextra rest.
- Drink plenty of liquids.
- Hot water, herbal tea,chicken or tomato soup will help relieve congestion.
- Take aspirin, ibuprofenor acetaminophen to relieve aches remembering not to give aspirin to children.
- Humidify your bedroom.
- Take hot showers to relieve nasal stuffinessand headaches due to congestion.
- If you see streaks of mucus in the backof your throat (postnasal drip), gargle with warm water to prevent a sore throat.
- Do not use handkerchiefs, use disposable tissues.
- If your noseis red and raw from tissues, put a dab of petroleum jelly on the sore area.
- Avoidcold remedies that contain a combination of drugs to treat many different symptoms.Treat each symptom separately. Take a decongestant for stuffiness, a cough medicinefor a cough and so on.
- Do not use nasal decongestant sprays for morethan 3 days in a row as it may lead to a "rebound" effect causing mucousmembranes to become swollen.
- Avoid antihistamines as they are not aneffective treatment for colds.
- Elevate your head with extra pillows toease a dry cough.
- Do not take anyone else's prescription cough medication.
- Avoid exposure to dust, smaoke and other irritants.
WhenTo Call A Physician (in some cases, a bacterial infection followsa viral infection and can be treated with antibiotics)
- If you developfacial pain.
- Fever of 104 or higher that does not go down after 2 hoursof home treatment.
- Fever of 102 or higher for 2 full days.
- Feverof 101 or higher for 3 full days.
- Fever of 100 or higher for 4 full days.
- Fever higher than 101 with shaking chills and a productive cough.
- Labored,shallow, rapid breathing with shortness of breath.
- Sputum is yellow,green, rust-colored or bloody.
- Nasal discharge changes from clear tocolored after 5 to 7 days of a cold.
- If nasal discharge is colored fromthe start of a cold and lasts longer than 7 days
- Cough that lingers morethan 7 to 10 days after other symptoms have cleared.
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Disclaimer: The Common Cold Tips / Informationpresented and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarilyrepresent the views of TipsAndTreats.com and/or its partners.
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