A Common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. It's common and relatively harmless — but it sure doesn't feel that way
when you have one. It is the most common reason that people miss work or
school. If it's not a runny nose, sore throat and a cough, it's watery eyes,
sneezing and miserable congestion. Or maybe all of the above.Cold viruses are very contagious. They are air-borne and are transmitted when one breathes, coughs, or sneezes
Children generally have 6 to 8 colds a year, but they may get as many as 12 if they live in a family with school-age children. Adults usually have 2 to 4 colds a year, and individuals over 60 years of age have about 1 cold a year. Adults have fewer colds than children because they have developed
immunity to the particular viruses that cause colds.
There are at least 200 different viruses that cause colds. The rhinovirus is the most common, known culprit.
Cold viruses are very contagious. They are airborne and are transmitted when one breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Cold viruses can be spread when a person with a cold sneezes into his or her hand or blows his or her nose and then shared objects such as utensils, towels or telephones. Cold viruses can live for up to 3 hours on a surface such as a doorknob or toy.
Risk factors
Children are especially susceptible to colds because they haven't yet developed resistance to most of the viruses that cause colds. They also tend to spend lots of time with other children and aren't always careful about washing their hands, which makes it easy for colds to spread.
Under the following conditions, people are more susceptible to getting a cold:
• During the winter months, when people are indoors with others & the humidity is lower.
• Experiencing psychological stress.
• In women, during certain points in the menstrual cycle.
• Having an allergic reaction that affects your nasal passages.
Other common beliefs about how you catch cold — going outdoors with wet hair or getting chilled, for example — have never been shown in clinical studies to increase your risk.
Sign and symptoms
The onset of cold symptoms occurs within one to three days after you're exposed to a cold virus. The first major symptom is usually a watery nose. You may also develop an itchy or sore throat, increased nasal congestion, slight body aches or a mild headache early in the course of the infection.
The discharge from your nose may become thicker and yellowish as your cold runs its course. Other signs and symptoms of a cold include:
• Sneezing and Cough
• Low fever (less than 38.9 oC)
• Mild fatigue
• Watery eyes
What makes a cold different from other viral infections is that you generally won't have a high fever. You're also unlikely to experience significant fatigue from a cold.
Complications
An acute ear infection (otitis media), which occurs when bacteria infiltrate the space behind the eardrum, is the most common complication of colds in children.
A cold that doesn't resolve may turn into sinusitis. Other secondary infections that may develop following a cold include strep throat (streptococcal pharyngitis), chronic bronchitis and pneumonia. These are serious infections and need to be treated aggressively by your doctor.
Treatment
Colds are generally treated by addressing the person's symptoms. Bed rest and drinking plenty of fluids can help prevent some complications. Antibiotics do not work against the viruses and can reduce the body's ability to fight viruses. Medications such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin can help reduce fever and muscle aches but acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) is preferred instead of aspirin.
Medications considers safe and effective for treatment of colds include:
• Nasal decongestants to open up the nasal passageways and make breathing easier.
• Cough suppressants in the form of oral
medications, throat lozenges, ointments to
be rubbed on the chest, and used in
humidifiers and vaporizers can relieve
coughs caused by an irritated throat.
• Expectorants to loosen mucus and make it easier to cough up phlegm
• Antihistamines is used generally to dry up nasal secretions. Clemastine fumarate is the only antihistamine approved for cold symptoms.
There is no specific medication, antibiotics do not work against the viruses and can reduce the body's ability to fight viruses. 
When to seek medical advice
Colds generally get better after less than a week, although they may not disappear as quickly as you'd like. Seek medical attention if you have a fever greater than 38.9 oC or feel your symptoms are getting worse. A high fever accompanied by achiness and fatigue might be the influenza rather than just a cold.
If you have fever, sweating, chills and a cough that produces colored phlegm, you might have pneumonia. It's best to see a doctor right away.
Also see your doctor if your symptoms don't improve after seven to 10 days to make sure you don't have a secondary bacterial infection in your lungs, larynx, trachea, sinuses or ears. Or if you have a chronic respiratory condition made worse by cold symptoms.
In general, children are sicker with colds than adults are, and often suffer from complications such as ear infections. Call your physician immediately if your child has any of the following signs and symptoms:
• Fever of 39.4 oC or higher, chills or sweating
• Fever that lasts more than 72 hours
• Vomiting or abdominal pain
• Unusual sleepiness
• Severe headache
• Difficulty breathing
• Persistent crying
• Ear pain
Self-care
You may not be able to cure your cold, but you can make yourself as comfortable as possible. These tips may help:
• Drink lots of fluids. Drink at least eight glasses and get plenty of rest. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and cigarette smoke, which can cause dehydration and aggravate your symptoms.
• Take a break from work. Consider staying home if you have a fever or a bad cough, or are drowsy from medications. This will give you a chance to rest as well as reduce the chances that you'll infect others.
• Adjust your room's temperature and humidity. Keep your room warm. If the air is dry, a cool mist humidifier can moisten the air and help ease congestion and coughing.
• Soothe your throat. Gargling with warm salt water several times a day or drinking warm lemon water with honey may help soothe a sore throat and relieve a cough.
• Use nasal drops. To help relieve nasal congestion, try saline nasal drops. To use them instill several drops into one nostril, then immediately bulb suction that nostril. Repeat the process in the opposite nostril.
Prevention
Because so many different viruses can cause colds, no effective vaccine has been developed. But though it may seem that colds are inevitable, you can take some precautions to slow the spread of cold viruses:
Wash your hands frequently and teach your children the importance of hand washing.
Keep kitchen and bathroom countertops clean, especially when someone in your family has a cold.
Always sneeze and cough into tissues. Discard used tissues right away.
Don't share drinking glasses with other family members when you or someone else is sick.
Avoid close, prolonged contact with someone who has a cold.
Look for a child-care setting with sound hygiene practices and clear policies about keeping sick children at home.
Wash your child's toys after play if your child has a cold.
Although many people believe that the herb echinacea and megadoses of vitamin C can help prevent colds, studies have not found any protective benefit. Echinacea may, however, help shorten the duration of a cold.
