Common Cold

What is common cold?

A common cold is an acute upper respiratory tract inflammation caused by a virus infection located in the nose. Colds also involve the sinuses, ears, and bronchial tubes. A very large number of viruses can produce the symptoms we call a cold. Most cold viruses are rhinoviruses that can be found on various surfaces or in the air. Therefore, they can be transmitted via a cough, sneeze, or most commonly through contact with a surface exposed to the virus that produces cold symptoms. One is not protected against another virus or against the same virus in altered form a few weeks later. There are over 100 different cold viruses. Rhinoviruses are the most important and cause at least one-half of colds.

Cold viruses can only multiply when they are inside of living cells. When on an environmental surface, cold viruses cannot multiply. However, they are still infectious if they are transported from an environmental site into the nose.

Cold viruses live only in the noses of humans and not in animals except chimpanzees and other higher primates.

Common colds last on average for one week. Mild colds may last only 2 or 3 days while severe colds may last for up to 2 weeks. Adults average 2 to 3 colds per year and children 6 to 10, depending on their age and exposure. Children's noses are the major source of cold viruses.

A common cold is a milder illness than influenza. Influenza typically causes fever, muscle aches, and a more severe cough. However, mild cases of influenza are similar to colds.

The common cold is one of the most prevalent illnesses, leading to more doctor visits and absences from school and work than any other illness every year. It is estimated that during a one-year period, people in the US will suffer one billion colds. common colds can be the result of more than 200 different viruses. However, among all of the cold viruses, the rhinoviruses and the corona viruses cause the majority of colds.

People are most likely to have colds during fall and winter, starting in late August or early September until March or April. The increased incidence of colds during the cold season may be attributed to the fact that more people are indoors and close to each other. In addition, many cold viruses thrive in low humidity, making the nasal passages drier and more vulnerable to infection.

Most common colds are diagnosed based on reported symptoms. However, cold symptoms may be similar to certain bacterial infections, allergies, and other medical conditions. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis. Vitamin C and the common cold.

Many people believe taking large amounts of vitamin C will either prevent the common cold or reduce its symptoms. However, to date, studies have not indicated that high amounts of vitamin C affect the onset and symptoms of the common cold. In addition, taking large quantities of vitamin C over a long period of time may, in fact, be harmful, causing diarrhea and distorting urine and blood test results.