Having a cold is considered so “common” because each year the average adult experiences 2-3 of them. Children may experience them more frequently. The rhinovirus is the most common virus to cause cold symptoms, but more than 200 different viruses have been linked to cold symptoms. Infection spreads from one person to another through the air and close personal contact.
Risk Factors. Exposure to someone else with a cold, being a young-aged child, and having a weakened immune system may increase your risk of catching a cold.
Symptoms. The most common cold symptoms include sneezing, stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing, and post-nasal drip (mucus dripping from your nose and into your throat). Symptoms may last for up to 2 weeks.
When to Seek Medical Care. Consider visiting your doctor or local urgent care clinic if you experience temperature >100.4 degrees, bloody mucus or cough, or symptoms that last longer than 10 days without improvement.
Treatment. As the cold is caused by a virus, antibiotics are not needed. OTC treatment focuses on management of symptoms:
- Headache/body ache & fever – available therapies include Tylenol, aspirin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications such as Motrin and Aleve. Tylenol is generally well-tolerated, but should be used with caution if you have any type of liver disease. Aspirin should not be used in children due to the risk of Reye’s Syndrome. NSAIDs should be avoided in patients with hypertension, or those who have a history of GI bleeding or ulcers.
- Nasal congestion (stuffy nose) – decongestants are the medication of choice for management of congestion. Oxymetazoline is a topical decongestant found in nasal sprays such as Afrin. Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) and phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine) are available oral decongestants. DEA regulations require that pseudoephrine be stored behind the pharmacy counter, and you must show ID to purchase it. Some states require a prescription.
- Sneezing/runny nose- Antihistamines are the treatment of choice for sneezing and runny nose. Older antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), are usually inexpensive, but commonly cause drowsiness and have to be taken up to 4 times per day. Newer antihistamines such as fexofenadine (Allergra), loratadine (Claritin), and cetirizine (Zyrtec) are generally well-tolerated without causing daytime drowsiness. Additionally they can be taken only once daily.
- Cough – When trying to treat cough, the primary question to ask yourself is if your cough is wet (are you coughing up mucus?) or dry (no mucus). If your cough is wet, guaifenesin (Mucinex) is the treatment of choice. If your cough is dry, dextromethorphan (Delsym) would be preferred. If you are a diabetic, try to choose a sugar-free cough syrup in an effort to avoid increasing your blood glucose.
- Sore throat- Lozenges, which generally contain topical anesthetics such as benzocaine and menthol, are a good treatment options for sore throat. Sipping warm liquids such as tea can also be soothing.
Prevention. The best way to prevent catching the cold is to prevent spreading the cold virus. If you are experiencing symptoms, try to minimize close contact with others. If you must be around other people, wash your hands frequently. Consider wearing a mask; if you don’t, make an effort to cough/sneeze into your elbow (not your hand!) to avoid spreading your germs into the air. If you are living or working near someone who is experiencing cold symptoms, practice good hand washing and try to minimize close contact with him/her.
