Everyone seems to have suffered from a cold at some point. A light cold is a minor annoyance, but certainly isn’t enhancing anyone’s day. More serious colds can knock a person’s energy out and require some bed rest. The cold isn’t the worst illness, but it’s still an illness.
Most healthy adults will actually catch a cold somewhere between once and three times a year. Considering all the other potential respiratory issues that can be caught out there, it’s often good to recognize the symptoms that indicate it’s likely a cold. Recovery is normally not a problem. People recover from colds in a reasonable amount of time, with very few lasting longer than 10 days at a time. This article will focus on helping provide information about the symptoms to look out for and how to avoid or handle a cold as necessary.
Symptoms of a Cold
Typically, people start exhibiting their symptoms after a day or three once they have been exposed to the virus that causes a cold. Most of the symptoms are low level. People have issues with their nasal passages and have runny or stuffy nose symptoms. Congestion is pretty common and people tend to sneeze or cough regularly. Sometimes people with a cold will have body aches or have a headache. Fever is common as well, but isn’t necessarily a very high fever. High fevers can be a sign it’s something other than that. Finally, the main symptom of a cold is malaise. This is simply the feeling that you’re unwell and drained. It’s sort of the trademark of a cold.
Avoiding Getting a Cold
There’s a wide number of viruses that can cause someone to get a cold. Typically these enter a person’s body via their mouth, nose or eyes. People sneezing or coughing with a cold will expel the virus in droplets, which in turn gets taken in by a person.
When it comes to prevention, there’s many steps that can be taken. The first is to consistently wash your hands. Touching an infected surface and then touching the face can often lead to a cold. Don’t forget to disinfect your home periodically, as well as common items taken out of the home like cell phones and keys. If you are going to cough or sneeze, use tissues or your elbow to ensure that you’re not spreading potential viruses through droplets. When everyone works to prevent colds from spreading, it’s more effective than a single person doing so.
It’s important to be especially careful in the fall and winter when it’s cooler out. People tend to spread viruses more during these times because they are spending a lot more time inside. Avoiding places where people congregate in small areas can be an important step to avoiding getting a cold. Airplanes, break rooms for offices and other locations where people gather can result in easy spread.
There are several groups of people who are at a higher risk of getting colds, or of getting more severe forms of colds. Children under the age of 6 are high risk, and combining them together in schools or childcare will often result in them being spread consistently. People who have a weaker immune system due to another illness can be at risk. The same is true of smokers.
Treating a Cold
There’s no “cure” for a cold. People who claim this are lying. Instead, treatment can be directed at the symptoms that a person is feeling to lessen the impact of a cold and sustain a certain level of normalcy.
Over the counter pain relievers are typically a good option as they will help with headache, sore throat and will typically reduce fevers. Some people like to use nasal spray to clear up the congestion they are feeling. It’s important to note that these should never be used as a permanent or long term solution as they can exacerbate nasal problems over the long term. When it comes to coughing, the ubiquitous “cough syrup” is often the call. That being said, they aren’t good for young children under 4 and care should be taken to read all labels.
Beyond a trip to the pharmacy, the key is to just rest up. Stay at home if you can and relax in your bed or on the couch. Fluids are helpful as they keep you hydrated. Warm fluids are especially pleasing as they can often help with digestion. Make sure wherever you are is comfortable temperature wise and is at a solid level of humidity.