Cold

Cold

Your nose is running, you've got a cough, and your throat is raw. Is it a cold, allergies, or the flu?

There are similarities to all three, but a few telltale signs can help you tell them apart.

The Start of a Cold

It usually begins with a sore throat, and before you know it, you've also got these symptoms:

• Runny nose (clear and watery)
• Sneezing
• Fatigue
• Cough

You usually don't get a fever with a cold. If you do, it may be a sign you've got the flu or an infection with a bacteria.

For the first few days that you're sick, your runny nose will be watery, but it turns thicker and darker after that. You may also get a mild cough that can last into the second week of your cold.

Since a cold can trigger an asthma attack, people with asthma should check with your doctor to see if you need to change your regular treatment plan.

If you cough up thick or dark mucus or you get a fever, you may have an infection with a bacteria. See your doctor to find out how to treat it. Also see him if your cough doesn't get better after a few weeks.

Your symptoms usually start between 1 and 3 days after you get infected with a cold virus. They typically last for about 3 to 7 days. By then the worst is over, but you may feel stuffed up for a week or more.

You're most contagious during the first 3 days that you're sick, but it's still possible to spread it during the first week.

Is It Allergies Instead of a Cold?

Sometimes you might mistake cold symptoms for hay fever. If they begin quickly and are over in 1 to 2 weeks, chances are it's not an allergy.

Allergies are caused by an overactive immune system, your defense against germs. Your body overreacts to things like dust or pollen. It then releases chemicals like histamine. This causes the passageways in your nose to swell, leading to a runny nose, coughing, and sneezing.

Hay fever isn't contagious, but some people may inherit a tendency to get it.

Is It the Flu?

Take your temperature. A mild case of the flu often has symptoms like a cold, but a cold rarely raises your temperature above 101 degrees F.

Besides a fever, the flu often gives you muscle aches and a headache.

When to Call the Doctor About Cold Symptoms

Except in newborns, colds aren't dangerous. The symptoms usually go away without any special treatment. But when you're sick it can wear down your body's resistance, making you more open to an infection by a bacteria.

See your doctor if your cold symptoms are severe and you aren't getting better. He'll likely check your throat and ears, and listen to your lungs. He may take a throat culture by brushing your throat with a long cotton-tipped swab. This will show whether you have an infection that needs treatment with antibiotics.

Call your doctor if you have:

• An earache
• Pain around the nose and eyes (sinuses) for more than a week
• Fever above 102 degrees F. If your child is younger than 3 months and has a temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher, call your doctor right away.
• Fever that lasts more than a day in a child under 2, or more than 3 days in a child age 2 or older
• Cough up mucus for more than a week
• Shortness of breath
• Worsening symptoms
• Symptoms that last longer than 2 weeks
• Trouble swallowing.
• A bad sore throat with fever (may indicate strep infection)
• Pain or pressure in the chest or belly
• A stiff neck or sensitivity to bright lights

Also see your doctor if:

• You are pregnant or breastfeeding and get a cold
• Your newborn or infant gets symptoms
• Your cold worsens after the third day

1.     How to Tell When You Have a Cold

1.     Is It Really a Cold?Your nose is running, you've got a cough, and your throat is raw. How can you tell whether you have a cold, allergies, or the flu? A few telltale signs can help you tell them apart.

2.     Cold vs. Flu: While cold symptoms can make you feel bad for a few days, flu symptoms can make you feel quite ill for a few days to weeks.

3.     Cold vs. Allergies: How can you tell the difference between a common cold and allergies? It's sometimes a tough call, but how long your problems last is one of the big clues.

2.     When It's More Than a Cold

1.     Signs It Could Be Something More SeriousThe common cold is usually no cause for concern, but it can sometimes lead to more serious issues.

2.     When to Call a Doctor: When is it time to get some advice from a pro? Take stock of your cold symptoms and see if they fit into one of these patterns.

3.     Sinus Infections: A sinus infection, or sinusitis, can occur in the wake of a cold or with allergies.

4.     Ear Infections Symptoms of a middle ear infection (acute otitis media) often start 2 to 7 days after the start of a cold or other upper respiratory infection.

3.     Special Situations

1.     Children and Colds: Learn more about colds in children: prevention, symptoms, treatments, and when to call the doctor.

2.     Colds and Chronic Medical Conditions: A common cold can aggravate some chronic medical conditions. Learns how to prevent more serious health problems if you have a cold.

3.     Asthma and Colds: If you have asthma, catching a cold may worsen or trigger your symptoms.

4.     Heart Disease and Colds: If you have heart disease, take extra care to avoid catching a cold. It can sometimes lead to complications that can cause serious problems.

5.     Diabetes and Colds: Colds aren't fun for anyone, but if you have diabetes, all that sniffling and sneezing comes with an extra risk.

6.     AIDS, HIV, and Colds: If your immune system is weakened from HIV/AIDS, you need to guard against colds and flus - which can lead to more serious illnesses.

Treat your cold at home

Being sick, even when you’re home in bed, isn’t fun. The combination of body aches, fever, chills, and nasal congestion can be enough to make anyone miserable.

There are plenty of home remedies that can alleviate your symptoms and get you back to normal. If you still feel sick after a few weeks, make an appointment with your doctor. If you have trouble breathing, have a rapid heartbeat, feel faint, or experience other severe symptoms, get medical help sooner.

Chicken soup

Chicken soup may not be a cure-all, but it’s a great choice when you’re sick. Research suggests that enjoying a bowl of chicken soup with vegetables, prepared from scratch or warmed from a can, can slow the movement of neutrophils in your body. Neutrophils are a common type of white blood cell. They help protect your body from infection. When they’re moving slowly, they stay more concentrated in the areas of your body that require the most healing.

The study found that chicken soup was effective for reducing the symptoms of upper respiratory infections in particular. Low-sodium soup also carries great nutritional value and helps keep you hydrated. It’s a good choice, no matter how you’re feeling.

Ginger

The health benefits of ginger root have been touted for centuries, but now we have scientific proof of its curative properties. A few slices of raw ginger root in boiling water may help soothe a cough or sore throat. Research suggests that it can also ward off the feelings of nausea that so often accompany influenza. For example, one study found that just 1 gram of ginger can “alleviate clinical nausea of diverse causes.”

Honey

Honey has a variety of antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Drinking honey in tea with lemon can ease sore throat pain. Research suggests that honey is an effective cough suppressant, too. In one study, researchers found that giving children 10 grams of honey at bedtime reduced the severity of their cough symptoms. The children reportedly slept more soundly, which also helps reduce cold symptoms.

You should never give honey to a child younger than 1 year old, as it often contains botulinum spores. While they’re usually harmless to older children and adults, infants’ immune systems aren’t able to fight them off.

Garlic

Garlic contains the compound allicin, which may have antimicrobial properties. Adding a garlic supplement to your diet might reduce the severity of cold symptoms. According to some research, it might even help you avoid getting sick in the first place.

More research needs to be done on the potential cold-fighting benefits of garlic. In the meantime, adding more garlic to your diet probably won’t hurt.

Echinacea

Native Americans have used the herb and root of the echinacea plant to treat infections for more than 400 years. Its active ingredients include flavonoids, chemicals that have many therapeutic effects on the body. For example, flavonoids can boost your immune system and reduce inflammation.

Research on the herb’s effectiveness at fighting the common cold and flu has been mixed. But one review suggests that taking echinacea may lower your risk of developing the common cold by more than 50 percent. It may also reduce the length of a cold. If you’re a healthy adult, consider taking 1 to 2 grams of echinacea root or herb as a tea, three times daily, for no longer than one week.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C plays an important role in your body and has many health benefits. Along with limes, oranges, grapefruits, leafy greens, and other fruits and vegetables, lemons are a good source of vitamin C. Adding fresh lemon juice to hot tea with honey may reduce phlegm when you’re sick. Drinking hot or cold lemonade may also help.

While these drinks may not clear up your cold entirely, they can help you get the vitamin C that your immune system needs. Getting enough vitamin C can relieve upper respiratory tract infections and other illnesses.

Probiotics

Probiotics are “friendly” bacteria and yeast that are found in your body, some foods, and supplements. They can help keep your gut and immune system healthy, and research indicates that probiotics may reduce your chance of getting sick with an upper respiratory infection.

For a delicious and nutritious source of helpful bacteria, include probiotic yogurt in your diet. Besides its potential benefits for your immune system, yogurt is a healthy snack that provides plenty of protein and calcium. Look for products that list live bacteria on the label.

Other options

Salt water

Gargling with salt water may help prevent upper respiratory infections. It may also decrease the severity of cold symptoms. For example, it may ease sore throat pain and nasal congestion.

Gargling with salt water reduces and loosens mucus, which contains bacteria and allergens. To try this remedy at home, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a full glass of water. Swish it around your mouth and throat. Then spit it out.

Vapor rub

You might not like the smell, but some old-fashioned topical ointments, such as vapor rub, appear to reduce cold symptoms in children older than 2 years. Just one or two applications before bed can help open air passages to combat congestion, reduce coughing, and improve sleep. Vapor rub is gaining traction among some doctors who encourage parents to avoid giving over-the-counter cold medicines to young children because of unwanted side effects.

Humidity

Influenza thrives and spreads more easily in dry environments. Creating more humidity in your home may reduce your exposure to this flu-causing virus. Increased humidity may also reduce nasal inflammation, making it easier to breathe when you’re sick. Temporarily adding a cool mist humidifier to your bedroom may help you feel more comfortable. This is especially true in winter, when dry indoor heat can exacerbate your symptoms. Adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil might also stimulate your breathing.

Remember, the water used in humidifiers needs to be changed daily to stop mold and other fungi from growing. For the same effect without a humidifier, take a long shower or linger in a steamy bathroom.

Warm baths

Sometimes you can reduce a child’s fever by giving them a warm sponge bath. Warm baths can also reduce cold and flu symptoms in adults. Adding Epsom salt and baking soda to the water can reduce body aches. Adding a few drops of essential oil, such as tea tree, juniper, rosemary, thyme, orange, lavender, or eucalyptus, may also have a soothing effect.