A common cold (coryza is the technical term) is a very common viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. One
or more of several hundred different rhinoviruses may be responsible. A cold is a distinct entity from influenza,
which is caused by a different group of viruses.
Colds spread from one person to another in droplets of moisture in the breath, in a cough or in a sneeze. Once
inhaled, the virus settles in the nose or throat and starts multiplying rapidly. Crowds, confined spaces (eg. buses,
aircraft) and air conditioners that recycle air are renown for spreading the virus. Most adults have a cold every year
or two, usually in winter. Children, because they have not been exposed to these viruses before and so have no
immunity to them, may have ten or more infections a year.
A sore throat and nose, runny and/or blocked nose, sneezing, cough, phlegm in the back of the throat,
headache, intermittent fever and tiredness are the main symptoms. A secondary bacterial infection may cause
pharyngitis or sinusitis.
No cure or prevention is possible. The symptoms can be eased by aspirin or paracetamol for headache and
fever, and medications for the cough, sore throat, runny nose and blocked sinuses. The more the patient rests, the
faster the infection will go away.
Many vitamin and herbal remedies are touted as cures or preventatives, but when subjected to detailed trials,
none can be proved to be successful.
Colds usually last about a week, but some babies have a briefer course, while in others the first cold may lower
their defences so that they can catch another one, and then another, causing cold symptoms to last for many
weeks.
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