The Common Cold
Contents
Sneezing, scratchy throat, runny nose-everyone knows the first
signs of a cold, probably the most common illness known. Although
the common cold is usually mild, with symptoms lasting 1 to 2 weeks,
it is a leading cause of doctor visits and missed days from school
and work. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 22 million school days are lost annually in the United
States due to the common cold.
In the course of a year, people in the United States suffer 1
billion colds, according to some estimates.
Children have about 6 to 10 colds a year. One important reason
why colds are so common in children is because they are often in
close contact with each other in daycare centers and schools. In
families with children in school, the number of colds per child can
be as high as 12 a year. Adults average about 2 to 4 colds a year,
although the range varies widely. Women, especially those aged 20 to
30 years, have more colds than men, possibly because of their closer
contact with children. On average, people older than 60 have fewer
than one cold a year.
The Viruses
More than 200 different viruses are known to cause the symptoms
of the common cold. Some, such as the rhinoviruses, seldom produce
serious illnesses. Others, such as parainfluenza and respiratory
syncytial virus, produce mild infections in adults but can
precipitate severe lower respiratory infections in young children.
Rhinoviruses (from the Greek rhin, meaning "nose") cause
an estimated 30 to 35 percent of all adult colds, and are most
active in early fall, spring, and summer. More than 110 distinct
rhinovirus types have been identified. These agents grow best at
temperatures of about 91 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature inside
the human nose.
Scientists think coronaviruses cause a large percentage of all
adult colds. They bring on colds primarily in the winter and early
spring. Of the more than 30 kinds, three or four infect humans. The
importance of coronaviruses as a cause of colds is hard to assess
because, unlike rhinoviruses, they are difficult to grow in the
laboratory.
Approximately 10 to 15 percent of adult colds are caused by
viruses also responsible for other, more severe illnesses:
adenoviruses, coxsackieviruses, echoviruses, orthomyxoviruses
(including influenza A and B viruses, which cause flu),
paramyxoviruses (including several parainfluenza viruses),
respiratory syncytial virus, and enteroviruses.
The causes of 30 to 50 percent of adult colds, presumed to be
viral, remain unidentified. The same viruses that produce colds in
adults appear to cause colds in children. The relative importance of
various viruses in pediatric colds, however, is unclear because it's
difficult to isolate the precise cause of symptoms in studies of
children with colds.
The weather
There is no evidence that you can get a cold from exposure to
cold weather or from getting chilled or overheated.
Other factors
There is also no evidence that your chances of getting a cold are
related to factors such as exercise, diet, or enlarged tonsils or
adenoids. On the other hand, research suggests that psychological
stress and allergic diseases affecting your nose or throat may have
an impact on your chances of getting infected by cold viruses.
In the United States, most colds occur during the fall and
winter. Beginning in late August or early September, the rate of
colds increases slowly for a few weeks and remains high until March
or April, when it declines. The seasonal variation may relate to the
opening of schools and to cold weather, which prompt people to spend
more time indoors and increase the chances that viruses will spread
to you from someone else.
Seasonal changes in relative humidity also may affect the
prevalence of colds. The most common cold-causing viruses survive
better when humidity is low-the colder months of the year. Cold
weather also may make the inside lining of your nose drier and more
vulnerable to viral infection.
Symptoms of the common cold usually begin 2 to 3 days after
infection and often include
- Mucus buildup in your nose
- Difficulty breathing through your nose
- Swelling of your sinuses
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Headache
Fever is usually slight but can climb to 102 degrees Fahrenheit
in infants and young children. Cold symptoms can last from 2 to 14
days, but like most people, you'll probably recover in a week. If
symptoms occur often or last much longer than 2 weeks, you might
have an allergy rather than a cold.
Colds occasionally can lead to bacterial infections of your
middle ear or sinuses, requiring treatment with antibiotics. High
fever, significantly swollen glands, severe sinus pain, and a cough
that produces mucus, may indicate a complication or more serious
illness requiring a visit to your healthcare provider.
You can get infected by cold viruses by either of these methods.
- Touching your skin or environmental surfaces, such as
telephones and stair rails, that have cold germs on them and then
touching your eyes or nose
- Inhaling drops of mucus full of cold germs from the air
Often you will hear "There is no cure for the common cold, but you can get relief from
your cold symptoms" with
- Resting in bed
- Drinking plenty of fluids
- Gargling with warm salt water or using throat sprays or
lozenges for a scratchy or sore throat
- Using petroleum jelly for a raw nose
- Taking aspirin or acetaminophen, Tylenol, for example, for
headache or fever
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A word of caution about aspirin: Several studies have linked aspirin use
to the development of Reye's syndrome in children recovering from
flu or chickenpox. Reye's syndrome is a rare but serious illness
that usually occurs in children between the ages of 3 and 12 years.
It can affect all organs of the body but most often the brain and
liver. While most children who survive an episode of Reye's syndrome
do not suffer any lasting consequences, the illness can lead to
permanent brain damage or death. The American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends children and teenagers not be given aspirin or medicine
containing aspirin when they have any viral illness such as the
common cold.
Over-the-counter cold medicines
Nonprescription cold remedies, including decongestants and cough
suppressants, may relieve some of your cold symptoms but will not
prevent or even shorten the length of your cold. Moreover, because
most of these medicines have some side effects, such as drowsiness,
dizziness, insomnia, or upset stomach, you should take them with
care.
Over-the counter-antihistamines
Nonprescription antihistamines may give you some relief from
symptoms such as runny nose and watery eyes which are commonly
associated with colds.
Antibiotics
Never take antibiotics to treat a cold because antibiotics do not
kill viruses. You should use these prescription medicines only if
you have a rare bacterial complication, such as sinusitis or ear
infections. In addition, you should not use antibiotics "just in
case" because they will not prevent bacterial infections.
Steam
Although inhaling steam may temporarily relieve symptoms of
congestion, health experts have found that this approach is not an
effective treatment.
There are several ways you can keep yourself from getting a cold
or passing one on to others.
- Because cold germs on your hands can easily enter through your
eyes and nose, keep your hands away from those areas of your body
- If possible, avoid being close to people who have colds
- If you have a cold, avoid being close to people
- If you sneeze or cough, cover your nose or mouth.
Handwashing
Handwashing with soap and water is the simplest and one of the
most effective ways to keep from getting colds or giving them to
others. During cold season, you should wash your hands often and
teach your children to do the same. When water isn't available, CDC
recommends using alcohol-based products made for washing hands.
Disinfecting
Rhinoviruses can live up to 3 hours on your skin. They also can
survive up to 3 hours on objects such as telephones and stair
railings. Cleaning environmental surfaces with a virus-killing
disinfectant might help prevent spread of infection.
Natural Preventatives
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Membranaceus, Schizandra Chinesis, Lingustum Lucidum, Andrographis Paniculata)
has been found effective in studies in reducing the risk of catching
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Vaccine
Because so many different viruses can cause the common cold, the
outlook for developing a vaccine that will prevent transmission of
all of them is dim. Scientists, however, continue to search for a
solution to this problem.
Nasal Wash
To do this you can use a netti pot with salt water which you
flush through your nose. Doing this regularly when you have a cold
can help shorten a cold and prevent complications especially in
those prone to sinusitis. There also is some evidence that this can
help prevent colds when done daily.
Prevention Methods With Mixed Results
Echinacea
Echinacea is a dietary herbal supplement that some people use to
treat their colds. Researchers, however, have found that while the
herb may help treat your colds if taken in the early stages, it will
not help prevent them.
One research study funded by the National Center for
Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a part of the National
Institutes of Health, found that echinacea is not affective at all
in treating children aged 2 to 11. However in that study it appears
that the dose administered was substantially less and the frequency
of administration longer than recommended.
Vitamin C
Many people are convinced that taking large quantities of vitamin
C will prevent colds or relieve symptoms. To test this theory,
several large-scale, controlled studies involving children and
adults have been conducted. To date, no conclusive data has shown
that large doses (1 gram +) of vitamin C prevent colds. The vitamin may reduce
the severity or duration of symptoms, but there is no clear
evidence.
Your body does use Vitamin C in higher amounts when fighting
colds, flu and infections so it is important to get plenty of
Vitamin C when sick.
Taking vitamin C over long periods (months) of time in large amounts may
be harmful. Too much vitamin C can cause severe diarrhea, a
particular danger for elderly people and small children.
Thanks to basic research, scientists know more about the
rhinovirus than almost any other virus, and have powerful new tools
for developing antiviral drugs. Although the common cold may never
be uncommon, further investigations offer the hope of reducing the
huge burden of this universal problem.
Research on rhinovirus transmission
Much of the research on the transmission of the common cold has
been done with rhinoviruses, which are shed in the highest
concentration in nasal secretions. Studies suggest a person is most
likely to transmit rhinoviruses in the second to fourth day of
infection, when the amount of virus in nasal secretions is highest.
Researchers also have shown that using aspirin to treat colds
increases the amount of virus in nasal secretions, possibly making
the cold sufferer more of a hazard to others.
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