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The common cold is a viral infection affecting the upper respiratory tract. It is a contagious disease, which means it can be transmitted from person to person.
The common cold normally has an incubation period of one to three days. This is the time between being exposed to the virus and developing symptoms.
Recovery from an uncomplicated cold often takes 7 to 10 days after symptoms appear. Your infection remains contagious as long as you have symptoms.
Because your infection is contagious from the moment your symptoms appear until they resolve, you could potentially spread the virus to others for up to two weeks.
This article will go into greater detail regarding the common cold, how it spreads, and how to get relief.
How does a cold spread?
The viruses that cause the common cold can enter the body through the nose, mouth, or eyes.
Cold viruses can travel through the air. When someone with a cold coughs, sneezes, talks, or laughs, respiratory droplets containing the cold virus are dispersed into the air. If you inhale these respiratory particles, you may develop a cold.
You may also contract a cold virus through direct touch. Someone suffering from a cold, for example, could have the virus on their hands. If you shake hands with them and then touch your nose, mouth, or eyes, you may get a cold.
Contaminated objects and surfaces can also spread the infection. Door knobs, shared eating utensils, and shared toys are all common sources of contamination.
According to recent research, the common cold virus can survive outside the body for 2 to 3 hours.
What are the early symptoms of a cold?
Colds tend to come on gradually. You may begin to notice symptoms between 1 to 3 days after exposure to the virus.
The most common cold symptoms typically include:
- a tickle, soreness, or scratchiness in the back of your throat
- a runny nose
- nasal congestion
- sneezing
- a cough
- mild body aches and pains
- headache
- not feeling well (malaise)
- fever, although this is less common in adults
Some of these symptoms may develop earlier than others, while some symptoms like a cough, for instance, may last longer than a sore throat or a runny nose.
Can early treatment shorten a cold?
There’s no cure for the common cold. Instead, treatment revolves around relieving your symptoms. Self-care measures you can take at home to help ease your cold symptoms include:
- drinking plenty of fluids
- getting plenty of rest
- using over-the-counter (OTC) medications to relieve symptoms like a sore throat, fever, and runny or stuffy nose
Some remedies claim to shorten the duration of a cold when taken as soon as you start noticing symptoms.
How long do colds last?
It can take about 7 to 10 days to fully recover from a cold. You’ll typically start to notice that your symptoms gradually improve as time passes.
A cough due to a cold may linger in some people. On average, a cough can last about 18 days (almost 3 weeks) before going away.
Some people are at an increased risk of cold complications such as:
- bronchitis or pneumonia
- sinus infections
- ear infections
- throat infections
This includes people with conditions such as:
- asthma
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- a weakened immune system
When to see a doctor
Be sure to see your doctor or a healthcare professional if you or your child:
- have symptoms that last longer than 10 days without improving, are very severe, or begin to improve but then return
- have a fever higher than 103°F (39.4°C) (adult), above 102°F (38.9°C) (child), or above 100.4°F (38°C) (infant younger than 3 months)
- have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher that lasts longer than 3 days
- experience difficulty breathing or have shortness of breath
- notice that underlying health conditions have worsened
