COLD, COMMON

General Information

DEFINITION--A contagious viral infection of the upper-respiratory passages.

BODY PARTS INVOLVED--Nose; throat; sinuses; ears; eustachian tubes; trachea; larynx; bronchial tubes.

SEX OR AGE MOST AFFECTED--Both sexes; all ages.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

• Runny or stuffy nose. Nasal discharge is watery at first, then becomes thick and greenish yellow.
• Sore throat.
• Hoarseness.
• Cough that produces little or no sputum.
• Low fever.
• Fatigue.
• Watering eyes.
• Appetite loss.

CAUSES--Any of at least 200 viruses. Virus particles spread through the air or from person-to-person contact, especially hand-shaking.

RISK INCREASES WITH

• Winter (colds are most frequent in cold weather).
• Children attending school or day care.
• Household member who has cold.
• Crowded or unsanitary living conditions.
• Infection may be facilitated by stress, fatigue or allergic disorders.

HOW TO PREVENT

• To prevent spreading a cold to others, avoid unnecessary contact during the contagious phase (first 2 to 4 days).
• Wash hands frequently, especially after blowing your nose or before handling food.
• Avoid risks listed above if possible.
• Humidify your air.

What To Expect

DIAGNOSTIC MEASURES--

• Your own observation of symptoms.
• Medical history and physical exam by a doctor (sometimes).
• Laboratory throat culture to rule out bacterial infection with streptococcus or other germs (sometimes).

APPROPRIATE HEALTH CARE

• Self-care.
• Doctor's treatment (for complications only).

POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS--Bacterial infections of the ears, throat, sinuses or lungs.

PROBABLE OUTCOME--Spontaneous recovery in 7 to 14 days.

How To Treat

GENERAL MEASURES--

• To relieve congestion, inhale steam from a pan of boiled water (after removing it from the heat); take hot showers; use salt-water drops (1/2 teaspoon salt to 1 cup of warm water).
• Use a cool-mist, ultrasonic humidifier to increase air moisture. Clean humidifier daily.
• Don't smoke if you have a cough.
• For a sore throat, drink hot liquids, use medicated throat lozenges or suck on hard candies.
• For a baby too young to blow his nose, use an infant nasal aspirator. If mucus is thick and sticky, loosen it by putting 2 or 3 drops of salt-water solution (see above) into nostrils. Don't insert cotton swabs into a child's nostrils. Instead, catch the discharge outside the nostril on a tissue or swab, roll it around and pull the discharge out of the nose.
• For an infant or very young child, lay the child on his stomach to sleep. This improves nasal drainage and breathing.

MEDICATION--

• No medicine, including antibiotics, can cure the common cold. To relieve symptoms, you may use non-prescription drugs, such as acetaminophen, decongestants, nose drops or sprays, cough remedies and throat lozenges. Don't give a child under age 18 aspirin for cold symptoms.
• Vitamin C in large doses (up to 1000 mg a day) may shorten duration.

ACTIVITY--Bed rest is not necessary, but avoid vigorous activity. Rest often.

DIET--Drink extra fluids, including water, fruit juice, tea and carbonated drinks. Avoid milk because it may thicken secretions.

Call Your Doctor If

The following occurs during the illness:

• Increased throat pain, or white or yellow spots on the tonsils or other parts of the throat.
• Coughing episodes that last longer than intervals between coughing; cough that produces thick, yellow-green or gray sputum; cough that lasts longer than 10 days; or difficult or labored breathing between coughing bouts.
• You cannot distinguish a cold from the flu.
• Fever that lasts several days; shaking chills.
• Chest pain or shortness of breath.
• Earache, headache or skin rash.
• Pain in the teeth or over the sinuses.
• Unusual lethargy or irritability.
• Delirium.
• Enlarged, tender glands in the neck.
• Dusky blue or gray lips, skin or nail beds.
• Inability to bottle-feed or breast-feed (infant).