Instead, try taking medicine like Tylenol or Robitussin. They won't actually make your cold shorter, but they can help make you feel better in the short-term. And because a lot of cold symptoms—like runny nose and postnasal drip —are generated from the sinuses, Dr. Wasylyshyn's advice to his patients who are dealing with a cold is to focus on clearing those up. That means using decongestants like Sudafed or Afrin.
Wasylyshyn says he personally swears by a neti pot to stop his colds in their tracks. But medicine's effects vary person to person, and what works for you might not work for someone else, and vice versa. OK, so maybe you go back to feeling totally fine 10 days after your cold started. But if you have kids under 6, you might feel as though their colds last longer—as if they just always have a cold.
And according to Dr. Wasylyshyn, that's a pretty normal feeling for parents to have. Well, the average child who is under 6 has six to eight colds per year. And those colds—that last up to 14 days—tend to be clustered between September and April. That works out to kids having one cold per month, which means that from September to April, the average child is sick with a cold half of the time.
That's sort of the way of the world. That's their immune system learning the cold, and we don't need to worry that there's something insidious going on," Dr. To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter. How Long Does a Cold Last? Colleen Murphy. By Colleen Murphy September 27, Save Pin FB More.
Credit: Getty Images. All rights reserved. Close Sign in. You also might feel very tired and have a sore throat, cough, headache, mild fever, muscle aches, and loss of appetite. Mucus from your nose may become thick yellow or green. Rhinoviruses can stay alive as droplets in the air or on surfaces for as long as 3 hours or even more.
So if you touch your mouth or nose after touching someone or something that's been contaminated by one of these viruses, you'll probably catch a cold unless you're already immune to the particular virus from having been exposed to it before.
If you already have a cold, you're more likely to spread it to others if you don't wash your hands after you cough or sneeze. Going to school or doing normal activities probably won't make you feel any worse. But it will make it more likely that your cold will spread to classmates or friends. Cold symptoms usually start 2 or 3 days after a person has been exposed to the virus.
People with colds are most contagious for the first 3 or 4 days after the symptoms begin and can be contagious for up to 3 weeks. Although some colds can linger for as long as 2 weeks, most clear up within a week. Over-the-counter OTC cold medicines can't prevent a cold, but some people think these ease symptoms. They won't help you get better faster, though. And sometimes OTC cold medicines can cause stomach upset or make someone feel dizzy, tired, or unable to sleep.
If your nose feels really stuffy, try saline saltwater drops to help clear it. Ask your parents who can talk with a doctor or pharmacist what medicine you should take, if any. Most doctors recommend acetaminophen for aches, pains, and fever.
If you have a cold, you should not take aspirin or any medicine that contains aspirin , unless your doctor says it's OK.
Use of aspirin by teens with colds or other viral illness may increase the risk of developing Reye syndrome, a rare but serious condition that can be fatal. Your doctor can let you know if it's OK to take an antihistamine or decongestant, but there is little evidence that these really make a difference.
Like all viruses, those that cause colds have to run their course. Getting plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids can do as much good as medicine as far as helping someone with a cold feel better. Whether you feel like sleeping around the clock or just taking things a bit easier, pay attention to what your body is telling you when you have a cold.
Symptoms may last longer in some children. In most cases, however, they will still last only 7—10 days. Children may have a more difficult time with symptoms, as it can be hard for them to identify the cause of their symptoms or deal with them on their own. Children are more likely to catch colds.
Children also have a higher risk of colds because they are less aware of prevention habits, such as sneezing into their elbow or regularly washing their hands.
Being in close contact with others, such as while attending preschool, also increases the risk of acquiring a cold. Symptoms of the cold do not show up immediately after a person contracts a virus. The incubation period for the common cold is about 1—3 days. During this time, the person may pass the virus on to someone else, even if they are not showing symptoms. Strictly speaking, any time a person has symptoms of a cold, they can pass it on to another person.
However, the person may be most contagious from a day before symptoms start and for the initial 5 days of being sick. The cold commonly spreads through droplets or vapor when a sick person coughs, sneezes, or blows their nose.
Their mucus and saliva can pass through the airways of another person and start an infection there. The cold virus can live outside the body for a few hours, which means that a person may pass a cold on to others by sharing objects such as face cloths, dishes, or cutlery. While adults usually have two to three colds per year, the authors of a review note that children under 2 years old have as many as six colds per year.
If symptoms of a cold either do not clear up or get worse after 10 days, it is best to see a doctor. Some people, including infants, those receiving treatment for cancer , people with HIV , and people over 65, have a higher risk of complications from colds and flus.
Anyone in these groups who experiences flu-like symptoms, such as fever , chills, and body aches, should see a doctor. There is no cure for the common cold, and the body can usually fight off the infection without the need for medical treatment. A cold is a viral infection, so antibiotics will have no effect. Do not take antibiotics for a cold. As the CDC note, not only will the antibiotics not help treat viral infections, they may even cause harm in both children and adults by making it harder for the body to fight off future bacterial infections.
However, cold symptoms can be annoying and disruptive. There are many simple ways to manage these symptoms as the body clears up the underlying infection, including:.
Drinking plenty of fluids: Drink plenty of water and other clear liquids to help keep the cells healthy and flush out toxins. Resting: Getting lots of rest can help the body focus on fighting off the infection. Taking over-the-counter OTC cold medications: Many OTC medications can help relieve specific symptoms of a cold, such as a stuffy or runny nose. Always follow the directions and speak to a doctor before giving children OTC medications.
Taking pain relievers: OTC pain relievers, such as ibuprofen Advil and acetaminophen Tylenol , may help reduce some symptoms.
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