Overview

Common cold is probably the most common illness known. Although the common cold is usually mild, with symptoms lasting 1 to 2 weeks, it is a leading cause of doctor visits and missed days from school and work.

Children have about 6 to 10 colds a year. One important reason why colds are so common in children is because they are often in close contact with each other in daycare centers and schools. In families with children in school, the number of colds per child can be as high as 12 a year.

Adults average about two to four colds a year, although the range varies widely.

 Women, especially those aged 20 to 30 years, have more colds than men, possibly because of their closer contact with children.

On average, people older than 60 have fewer than one cold a year.

 

Cause

The viruses

More than 200 different viruses are known to cause the symptoms of the common cold.

Some, seldom produce serious illnesses. Others , produce mild infections in adults but can change to severe  infections in young children.

One of the most virus that cause the cold is Rhinoviruses . Rhin is a greek word and it mean “nose” . so rhino viruse in English mean Noseviruse . this viruse can grow best at temperature of about 91 degrees Fahrenheit . and this temperature is exactly the seam temperature inside the human nose . so our nose is a good place for grow this viruse .

 

Almost 10 to 15 percent of adult colds are caused by viruses .

The causes of 30 to 50 percent of adult colds, presumed to be viral .

 

The weather

There is no evidence that you can get a cold from exposure to cold weather or from getting chilled or overheated.

Other factors

There is also no evidence that your chances of getting a cold are related to factors such as exercise, diet & . . . . On the other hand, research suggests that psychological stress and allergic diseases affecting your nose or throat may have an impact on your chances of getting infected by cold viruses.

Transmission

You can get infected by cold viruses by either of these methods.

1 . touching

Touching your skin or environmental surfaces, such as telephones and stair rails, that have cold germs on them and then touching your eyes or nose

 air  :  talk

   Coughing

   Sneezing

 

Symptoms

Symptoms of the common cold usually begin 2 to 3 days after infection and often include :

  • Stuffy and runny nose
  • Difficulty breathing through your nose
  • Swelling of your sinuses
  • Sneezing
  • Sore throat
  • Coughing
  • Headache

What about fever ?

Fever is usually slight but can climb to 102 degrees Fahrenheit in children. Cold symptoms can last from 2 to 14 days, but like most people, you’ll probably recover in a week. If symptoms recur often or last much longer than 2 weeks, you might have an allergy rather than a cold.

Never take antibiotics to treat a cold because antibiotics do not kill viruses.

Colds sometime can change to bacterial infections of your middle ear or sinuses, requiring treatment with antibiotics.

 

Treatment

There is no cure for the common cold, but you can get relief from your cold symptoms by

  • Resting in bed
  • Drinking plenty of liquids
  • Gargling with warm salt water
  • Using petroleum jelly for a raw nose
  • Taking aspirin for headache or fever

 

Prevention

There are several ways you can keep yourself from getting a cold or passing one on to others.

  • Because cold germs on your hands can easily enter through your eyes and nose, keep your hands away from those areas of your body
  • If possible, avoid being close to people who have colds
  • If you have a cold, avoid being close to people
  • If you sneeze or cough, cover your nose or mouth, and sneeze or cough into your elbow rather than your hand.

 

Hand washing

Hand washing with soap and water is the simplest and one of the most effective ways to keep from getting colds or giving them to others. During cold season, you should wash your hands often and teach children to do the same.

Vaccine

Because so many different viruses can cause the common cold, the outlook for developing a vaccine that will prevent transmission of all of them is dim. Scientists, however, continue to search for a solution to this problem.