The common cold is an illness caused by a virus that often results in sneezing, runny nose, and coughing. A cold virus spreads through tiny air droplets that are released when the sick person sneezes, coughs, or blows their nose. Colds can occur at any time of the year, but they are most common in the winter or rainy seasons.

Symptoms:

The more common symptoms are a sore throat, runny nose, sneezing and nasal congestion. Adults and older children with colds generally have a low fever or no fever. Depending on type of virus that caused your cold, you may also have a cough, loss of appetite, headaches and muscle aches.

People are most contagious for the first 2 to 3 days of a cold. A cold is usually not contagious after the first week.

You can catch a cold if:

• A person with a cold sneezes, coughs, or blows their nose near you
• You touch your nose, eyes, or mouth after you have touched something contaminated by the virus, such as a toy or doorknob.

Treatment:

There is unfortunately no cure but in the majority of cases, the symptoms resolve themselves within seven to ten days. As there is currently no cure or vaccine for the common cold, the only treatments consists of medications that treat the symptoms such as sore throat, fever, headache and sore muscles.

COLD MEDICINES

Over-the-counter cold and cough medicines may help ease symptoms in adults and older children. They do not make your cold go away faster, but can help you feel better.

Over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines are not recommended for children under age 6. Talk to your doctor before giving your child any type of over-the-counter or nonprescription cough medicine, even if the label says it is made for children. These medicines will likely not work for children, and may have serious side effects.

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS

Alternative treatments that have been used for colds include:

• Chicken soup
• Vitamin C
• Zinc

Chicken soup has been used for treating common colds for centuries. It may really help. The heat, fluid, and salt may help you fight the infection.

Vitamin C is a popular remedy for the common cold. Research shows it does not prevent colds in many adults, but people who take vitamin C regularly seem to have slightly shorter colds and milder symptoms. Taking vitamin C after your have a cold doesn't seem to be helpful.

Zinc supplements taken for at least 5 days may reduce your risk of catching the common cold. Taking a zinc supplement within 24 hours of when you first feel sick may make your cold symptoms less severe and help them go away faster. Cited: Pubmed, 2011.

 Prevention:

• The best prevention is cleanliness. Keeping your hands clean and out of your eyes and nose has been proven to cut down the incidences of infection. Alcohol-based hand gels have also been shown to prevent infection.
• Getting plenty of rest, drinking fluids to maintain hydration, and gargling with warm salt water, are considered reasonable measures when combating a cold. 
•  Avoid secondhand smoke: Keep as far away from secondhand smoke as possible. It is responsible for many health problems, including colds.
• Breastfeed: Breast milk is known to protect against respiratory tract infections in children, even years after you stop breastfeeding. Kids who are not breastfeed get about five times more ear infections than those who are.
• Eat yogurt: Certain yogurts contain "active cultures," or beneficial bacteria that helps prevent colds.

Sources:

• Common Cold
• KidsHealth
• Pubmed

Page Created: 31 May 2011, Updated: 24 April 2013 (TC)

Written by Zanele Matshotyana