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Overview. The common cold is an illness affecting your nose and throat. Most often, it's harmless, but it might not feel that way. Germs called viruses cause a common cold. Often, adults may have two or three colds each year. Infants and young children may have colds more often.
You usually don't need medical care for a common cold. But if symptoms get worse or don't go away, see your health care provider. Most people with a common cold can be diagnosed by their symptoms.
Try cold and cough medicines. For adults and children age 5 and older, decongestants, antihistamines and pain relievers available without a prescription might ease some symptoms. But they won't prevent a cold or shorten how long it lasts. And most have some side effects. Experts agree that these shouldn't be given to younger children.
Knowing if you have COVID-19, a cold, the flu or seasonal allergies isn't easy. Find out about the differences between these illnesses.
A cough can linger long after other symptoms of pneumonia, flu, a cold or other infection of the upper respiratory tract have gone away. A common but under-recognized cause of a chronic cough in adults is pertussis, also known as whooping cough.
While an occasional cough is normal, a cough that persists may be a sign of a medical problem. A cough is considered "acute" if it lasts less than three weeks. It is considered "chronic" if it lasts longer than eight weeks (four weeks in children).
Also called a chest cold, acute bronchitis usually improves within a week to 10 days without lasting effects, although the cough may linger for weeks. Chronic bronchitis, a more serious condition, is a constant irritation or inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, often due to smoking.
A cough that persists for several weeks or brings up discolored or bloody mucus may indicate a condition that needs medical attention. A cough is your body's response when something irritates your throat or airways.
To ease your cough, try these tips: Suck cough drops or hard candies. They may ease a dry cough and soothe an irritated throat. Don't give them to a child under age 6, however, because of the risk of choking. Consider taking honey. A teaspoon of honey may help loosen a cough.
A common cold is a viral infection of your baby's nose and throat. Nasal congestion and a runny nose are the main signs of a cold. Babies are especially likely to get the common cold, in part because they're often around older children.