Chest and Respiratory Problems

The common cold is brought to you by any one of 200 viruses. The symptoms of a cold include runny nose, red eyes, sneezing, sore throat, dry cough, headache, and general body aches. There is a gradual 1- or 2-day onset. As a cold progresses, the nasal mucus may thicken. This is the stage just before a cold dries up. A cold usually lasts about 1 or 2 weeks.

Colds occur throughout the year but are most common in late winter and early spring. The average child has 6 colds a year; adults have fewer.

Using a mouthwash will not prevent a cold, and antibiotics will not cure a cold. There is no cure for the common cold. If you catch a cold, treat the symptoms.

Sometimes a cold will lead to a bacterial infection (See Viral or Bacterial?) such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Good Home Treatment of colds can help prevent complications.

If a person seems to have a cold all the time, or if cold symptoms last 2 weeks or longer, suspect allergies (See Allergies) or sinusitis (See Sinusitis).

Home Treatment for a cold will help relieve symptoms and prevent complications.

• Get extra rest. Slow down just a little from your usual routine. It isn't necessary to stay home in bed, but take care not to expose others to your cold.

• Drink plenty of liquids. Hot water, herbal tea, or chicken soup will help relieve congestion.

• Take aspirin, ibuprofen, or aceta-minophen to relieve aches. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20.

• Humidify your bedroom and take hot showers to relieve nasal stuffiness.

• Check the back of your throat for postnasal drip. If you see streaks of mucus, gargle with warm water to prevent a sore throat.

• Use disposable tissues, not handkerchiefs, to reduce the chance of spreading the cold virus to others.

• If your nose is red and raw from rubbing it with tissues, put a dab of petroleum jelly on the sore area.

• Avoid cold remedies that contain a combination of drugs to treat many different symptoms. Treat each symptom separately. Take a decongestant for stuffiness, a cough medicine for a cough. See Home Treatment for coughs on See Home Treatment.

• Do not use nasal decongestant sprays for more than 3 days in a row. Continued use may lead to a "rebound" effect, causing the mucous membranes to become more swollen than they were before you used the spray. See Saline Nose Drops to learn how to make nose drops at home.

• Avoid antihistamines. They are not an effective treatment for colds.

• If you have classic flu symptoms, try Home Treatment and reassess your symptoms in 48 hours. See Influenza (Flu) on See Influenza (Flu).

  Viral or Bacterial?

  Viral infections Usually involve different parts of the body: sore throat, runny nose, headache, muscle aches. In the digestive system, viruses cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Typically include colds, flu, and stomach flu. Cannot be cured by antibiotics. Bacterial infections Sometimes follow viral infections. Usually affect one area of body: sinuses, lungs, an ear. Can be cured by antibiotics. Call a health professional if you develop any of the following symptoms of a bacterial infection: Fever of 40°C (104°F) or higher that does not go down after 2 hours of Home Treatment. Fever higher than 38.3°C (101°F) with shaking chills and productive cough (brings up sputum). Fever that persists despite Home Treatment. Many viral illnesses cause fevers of 38.9°C (102°F) or higher for short periods of time (up to 12 to 24 hours). Call a doctor if the fever stays high:

  38.9°C (102°F) or higher for 2 full days 38.3°C (101°F) or higher for 3 full days 37.8°C (100°F) or higher for 4 full days Labored, shallow, rapid breathing with shortness of breath. Sputum is yellow, green, rust-coloured, or bloody, and other symptoms (fever, productive cough, fatigue) are worse. Sputum that is coughed up from the lungs is more significant than mucus that has drained down the back of the throat (postnasal drip). Nasal discharge changes from clear to coloured (yellow or green) after 5 to 7 days of a cold, and other symptoms (sinus pain, fever) are worse. If nasal discharge is coloured from the start of a cold, call if it lasts longer than 7 to 10 days. Cough that lingers more than 7 to 10 days after other symptoms have cleared, especially if it is productive (brings up sputum). A dry, hacking cough may last several weeks after a viral illness such as a cold.

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