Common Cold: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment

The Common Cold or Cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract, mainly affecting the nose. The disease also affects the sinuses, ears, and bronchial tubes sometimes. The Common Cold symptoms are - headache, runny nose, irritating throat, cough, tiredness, hoarseness, fever, and non-stop sneezing. The virus usually lasts for three to seven days.

Keyterms: Common cold, headache, runny nose, irritating throat, cough, tiredness, hoarseness, fever, non-stop sneezing, upper respiratory tract

---

What Causes the Common Cold?

[Click Here for Sample Questions]

Read on further to know what causes the Common Cold.

• Rhinovirus – This Rhinovirus generally imposes your system through early fall, spring, and summer. They are behind 10% - 40% of the common cold, viral infection. However, these are the leading mutual viruses that affect the person; they would hardly ever make someone extremely sick.
• Coronavirus – The Coronavirus affects the human system through winter and the spring. The infectious virus is responsible for causing 20% of colds. There are 30 varieties of coronavirus out in the open. Out of them, 3 to 4 are harmful.
• RSV and Parainfluenza – These microorganisms cause severe infections like pneumonia which are usually found in young children.

---

Pneumonia 

[Click Here for Sample Questions]

Sometimes a Common Cold may turn more severe in the form of Pneumonia. It is a lung infection with indications of a cough, diarrhea, fever, and significant breathing difficulty. Few other symptoms would include –

• A cough, i.e., a mucus from the lungs, which might be rusty, green, or tinted with blood.
• “Teeth Chattering Chills” and Shaking.
• Fast heartbeat, breathing and feeling breathlessness.
• Chest pain that regularly feels worse when you cough or breathe.
• Vomiting.
• Nausea.
• Feeling tired or very weak.

A person suffering from a common cold can infect another. When someone touches any surface or object used by them, they may get infected by germs on that object. The virus then may reach the nose or mouth, thus infecting the person. 

A sneeze from the person affected by Common Cold can infect you. Even their sneeze can contaminate the air, and if you are within their vicinity, getting infected might be a possibility as you will breathe in the same air. 

When the virus gets to the inside layer of the nose or throat, the infection starts. The body’s immunity charges up the white blood cells to prevent further infection.

---

Common Cold Symptoms and Signs

[Click Here for Sample Questions]

Care must be taken after noticing a few Common Cold Symptoms. When a person is attacked by the common cold, the following symptoms are observed:

Primary Symptoms:

• A sore or scratchy throat.
• Sneezing.
• Stuffy nose.
• Cough.
• Running Nose.
• Watery eyes.
• Mucus draining from nose to the throat.

Secondary Common Cold Symptoms:

• High fever.
• Muscle aches.
• Exhaustion.
• Headache.
• Lack of appetite.

---

How to Prevent the Common Cold?

[Click Here for Sample Questions]

It is almost impossible to prevent the spread of the common cold entirely, but a person can take some definite measures to reduce the probability of catching a cold. A few of those preventive measures are as follows:

1. Wash hands repeatedly – It is perhaps the best measure to prevent the transmission of cold or any other type of infection. Using sanitizer while being in any public place is essential. Also, one must wash hands before eating. Explain the importance of hand-wash to the kids too.
2. Avoid Touching Your Face – Try to avoid touching your face, mouth, nose, and eye parts when you are near an individual infected with the cold.
3. Control Stress – Individuals facing emotional stress often have a weaker immune system, suggesting that they might catch a cold easily. A good piece of advice would be to reduce stress and live a healthy life.
4. Cleanliness – Keep household exteriors like - doorknobs, drawer pulls, keyboards, light switches, telephones, remote controls, countertops, and sinks hygienic and clean. 
5. Avoid Smoking – Smoking in any form might raise the odds in favor of getting infected by the virus. One must stay away from passive smoking as well.
6. Drink an Adequate Quantity of Water – Drink a lot of fluids like - water, juice, broth, warm lemon water, chicken soup, and additional warm fluids. All these will help a person to keep the Common Cold Virus at bay! 

Few Myths About the Common Cold

Here, let's bust a few myths about the Common Cold. It is important to remember that getting chilly or wet doesn't initiate any fever like the common cold. A person gets infected with a cold only when the person is additionally prone to it. One's lifestyle and way of living are the core of any sickness.

When a person is tremendously tired or under emotional stress or has allergies to the nose and throat, a person is vulnerable to cold. Another myth states that a person's diet is the basis of such sickness or infection, which is not true. Also, tonsils or adenoids are not the core reason for catching a common cold.