Common Cold
Overview
A virus--actually, about 200 different viruses--causes the common cold. Rhinovirus is the most common pathogen, causing an estimated 1/3 of annual cold cases. Most transmissions of cold-causing viruses occur through hand-to-hand contact with someone who has a cold or from objects (a doorknob, computer mouse or telephone, for example) that have been contaminated with a cold virus. These viruses can also be transmitted from an infected individual through droplets in the air.
What A Virus Does--In Simple Terms
Viruses act by infecting your body's healthy cells and using those cells' reproductive machinery to make more viruses. At some point, the cells burst and die, letting all the new little viruses loose to infect even more of your cells. Now, impress your biology teacher with that information! The destruction of cells lining the throat and respiratory tract causes symptoms, such as sore throat, cough and runny nose, that are characteristic of a cold. Fever, aches and fatigue actually result from the body's immune response to the virus and not actually from the cold at all.
Symptoms
Early in the course of a cold, most patients complain of a scratchy throat that may then develop into a stuffy nose and sneezing. Nasal symptoms are the biggest complaint until around day 5 of the illness, which is when a cough usually develops. Most colds last anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks. However, for some susceptible people, including those with underlying medical problems such as asthma or diabetes, colds can sometimes develop into a more serious illness.
Treatment
Unfortunately, upper respiratory infections caused by a virus do not respond to antibiotics. However, there are some steps you can take to feel better. Rest, drink plenty of non-caffeinated and nonalcoholic liquids, sip hot liquids such as chicken soup or herbal tea, and eat healthy foods. You may also want to consider using a warm mist humidifier in your bedroom to keep your mucous membranes moist and comfortable. Call your health care provider if your fever gets over 100 degrees F, if you develop a productive cough with yellow or green secretions, if you develop sinus pain with thick, colored nasal secretions, or if you develop shortness of breath or wheezing. If your cold persists longer than 2 weeks, you may also want to see your health care provider to ensure that you do not have a bacterial infection or pneumonia. If you have asthma and experience a worsening of your symptoms, you should contact your health care provider to review your asthma action plan. Remember to wash your hands often and have family members do the same so you don't spread the virus to them.
Member Comments
by PaxtonC on February 19, 2009 at 10:35 PM
As we all know, finances is the best cure for common illnesses and colds so it's good to have a cash advance. Colds are common disease but can surely affect your finances. People rush to the hospital not realizing they're just colds, especially with young children -- or possibly hypochondria or Munchausen's. Many of those people get a cash advance to cover the hospital expenses. Medical researchers have announced that they have cracked the genome code for the rhinoviruses, otherwise known as the common cold. This is good news, although they say it will be few years before a form of treatment will be available. I'd give them a cash advance for no more sniffles -- though it begs the question of whether they can get on that cancer thing.