Common cold symptoms, treatment and contagious time
If you didn’t know from the cacophony of colds and coughs in public places, the cold season is in full swing.
As mitigation measures from the COVID-19 pandemic quelled the transmission of other respiratory viruses, we are seeing an influx of RSV, flu, and COVID cases, along with a shortage of over-the-counter pain relievers for children.
If you’re sick, health experts say it’s important to stay home and rest to allow your body to recover and avoid spreading the virus to others.
But some cold symptoms can last for weeks. So how can you know when the time is right to return to daily activities? This is what the experts said.
READ THIS: Explaining the early surge of winter diseases, and whether it will continue
Common Cold Symptoms: Can You Have a Fever With a Cold?
Fevers are not common with colds, but they can occur, said Dr. Joseph Khabbaza, a pulmonary and intensive care physician at the Cleveland Clinic.
Typical cold symptoms include:
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Cough
- Sore throat
- mild headache
- sneezing
How long does a cold last? How long is it contagious?
Cold symptoms can last seven to 10 days and can be most contagious in the first four to five days, said Dr. Maria Eugenia Petrini, medical director of the Nemours Children’s Health Clinically Integrated Network.
Can you catch a cold from cold weather?
“Wrap up or you’ll catch a cold!” It’s the old expression that parents say to their children when they refuse to wear their winter jackets. But a recent study found that they may be right.
Researchers from Northeastern University studied nasal swabs and found that immune mechanisms in the nose functioned differently at different temperatures:
- Under normal body heat conditions, the nose successfully deployed extracellular vesicles that bind to and block virus entry into the body.
- The researchers found that just a 5-degree drop in temperature led to a 50% decrease in immune activity.
“Our study is really focused on prevention, that initial exposure and how to improve your defenses,” said lead author Mansoor Amiji, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Northeastern University.
How to treat a common cold
Unlike bacterial infections, antibiotics have no impact on respiratory viruses. This means the best thing to do is drink plenty of fluids and rest while the virus runs its course, Petrini said.
While many Americans rely on pain relievers to relieve cold symptoms, the shortage of over-the-counter medicine for children has sent some parents into a panic. But health experts say there are ways to treat a cold at home without medication:
- drink plenty of fluids: Yes, that includes chicken noodle soup. Clear liquids, like water, are best, but experts also recommend warm apple juice or lemonade for young children.
- Stay comfortable: Wear loose clothing or take lukewarm showers/baths if you have a fever. Avoid cold baths, as they could give you chills and raise your body temperature.
- Congested? turn on a humidifier
- Get enough rest.
What can make a cold worse?
Anything that weakens the body’s immune system could prevent it from getting better faster, health experts say. This includes physical exertion, intense stress, and smoking and alcohol.
“You can prolong recovery if you don’t give yourself the extra time to recover,” Petrini said.
When can you return to daily activities after a cold?
Health experts urge people to stay home while sick to prevent transmission of the virus in public spaces.
“People think they can go on with their routine lives. But if you have a cold, you are going through a viral process that is contagious,” Petrini said. “Staying home when you’re feeling sick is the right thing to do for you and for others, too.”
But after a week or two, it’s okay to start returning to daily activities, even if some cold symptoms still linger. But it’s important to listen to your body’s limitations.
- Gym: “Go back gradually instead of going full throttle,” Petrini said. “Instead of taking a full class, take a half class, test the waters, see how the body reacts to exercise and demand.”
- Office: “We always tell kids that they can go back to school … they should be fever-free for 24 hours and symptoms should improve,” Petrini said. The same goes for adults, if they are not. feel too fatigued
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Follow Adrianna Rodríguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.
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