Common cold

Alternative Names

Upper respiratory infection - viral; Cold

Treatment

Get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids. Over-the-counter cold remedies may help ease your symptoms. These won't actually shorten the length of a cold, but can help you feel better.

NOTE: Medical experts have recommended against using cough and cold drugs in children under age 6. Talk to your doctor before your child takes any type of over-the-counter cough medicine, even if it is labeled for children. These medicines likely will not work for children, and they may have serious side effects.

Antibiotics should not be used to treat a common cold. They will not help and may make the situation worse. Thick yellow or green nasal discharge is not a reason for antibiotics, unless it doesn't get better within 10 to 14 days. (In this case, it may be sinusitis.)

New antiviral drugs could make runny noses completely clear up a day sooner than usual (and begin to ease the symptoms within a day). It’s unclear whether the benefits of these drugs outweigh the risks.

Chicken soup has been used for treating common colds at least since the 12th century. It may really help. The heat, fluid, and salt may help you fight the infection.

Outlook (Prognosis)

The symptoms usually go away in 7 to 10 days.

Possible Complications

• Bronchitis
• Pneumonia
• Ear infection
• Sinusitis
• Worsening of asthma

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Try home care measures first. Call your health care provider if:

• The symptoms worsen or do not improve after 7 to 10 days
• Breathing difficulty develops
• Specific symptoms deserve a call (for example, see the article on fever)

References

Long, SS, Pickering, LK, and Prober, CG, eds. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Elsevier; 2003.

Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles of Infectious Diseases. 5th ed. New York, NY: Churchill Livingstone; 2000.

Noble J, ed. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2001.

This article uses information by permission from Alan Greene, M.D., © Greene Ink, Inc.