Common Cold

The common cold, also known as a viral upper respiratory tract infection. Sneezing, scratchy throat, runny nose everyone knows primary signs of a cold. Symptoms of a common cold include nasal stuffiness and drainage, sore throat, hoarseness, cough, and perhaps a fever and headache. Many people with a cold feel tired and achy. These symptoms typically last from three to 10 days. Symptoms may be more severe in babies and young children. Children have about 6 to 10 colds a year. The common cold is spread mostly by hand-to-hand contact. Cold virus can live on objects such as pens, books, and coffee cups for several hours.

Cold virus can be acquired from such objects. Common colds are most often caused by infection by one of the extra than 100 serotypes of rhinovirus, a type of picornavirus. Rhinoviruses cause an evaluated 30 to 35 percent of all younger men colds. Other viruses causing colds are coronavirus, human parainfluenza viruses, human respiratory syncytial virus, adenoviruses, enteroviruses, or metapneumovirus. 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.

There is no proven definite treatment for a cold, but supportive measures may be helpful. Medications are employed to assist alleviate the symptoms of common cold. New antiviral drugs could make runny noses perfectly clear up a day earlier than common. It’s unclear whether the benefits of these drugs outweigh the risks. Taking aspirin or acetaminophen for headache or fever and based on the package recommendations for age or weight. Nonprescription cold remedies, involving decongestants and cough suppressants, may alleviate some of your cold symptoms

There are two kinds of decongestants: topical (sprays and drops) and oral (tablets and caplets). Each has advantages and drawbacks. Self care is also important step this condition. Drink lots of fluids includes water, juice, tea and warm soup. They help replace fluids lost during mucus production or fever. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can cause dehydration, and cigarette smoke, which can aggravate your symptoms. Gargling with warm salt water or using throat sprays or lozenges for a scratchy or sore throat. The benefits of vitamin C supplements for both the prevention and treatment of colds remains controversial.

By: Juliet Cohen

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