The "Cold" Hard Facts on the Common Cold

Editor-in-Chief

Photo Courtesy of NYTimes.com

The "Cold" Hard Truth - The common cold generally involves runny nose, nasal congestion and sneezing. A cold usually lasts approximately seven days.

   Usually spread by hand-to-hand contact, the common cold can live on contaminated objects for hours after being touched.

Cold Symptoms

   Cold symptoms, according to WebMd.com, gradually begin with a sore throat, which usually goes away after a day or two. According to MedlinePlus.com, symptoms usually begin in two or three days after they catch the cold and begins with a scratchy throat followed by sneezing and a watery nasal discharge. A person can give their cold to another person during the first three days of having cold symptoms. Over the counter medication, such as Nyquil and Tylenol Cold, eases the symptoms of the common cold until the virus runs its course in approximately seven days.

       
   "A cold is horrible. I don't like the winter months or being sick!” Adam Hargrave, a general studies major, said.

Treatment

   Terri Richardson, director of Student Health Services, said treatment of a common cold include:

• Drink plenty of fluids to keep mucous secretions thin and easier to cough up.

• Do not become overheated. Use multiple layers to keep warm, so they can be removed easily.

• Use a humidifier or vaporizer to keep the air moist.

• Be careful to avoid taking two OTC products with the same or similar ingredients.  Examples of similar ingredients include: (acetaminophen and ibuprofen), (chlorpheniramine and dimenhydrinate), (pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine).

Prevention

  
   MedlinePlus.com said four ways to reduce exposure to germs include:

• Always wash your hands: Children and adults should wash hands at key moments -- after nose-wiping, after diapering or toileting, before eating, and before preparing food.

• Disinfect: Clean commonly touched surfaces (sink handles, sleeping mats) with an EPA-approved disinfectant.

• Use instant hand sanitizers: A little dab will kill 99.99% of germs without any water or towels. The products use alcohol to destroy germs. They are an antiseptic, not an antibiotic, so resistance can't develop.

• Use paper towels instead of shared cloth towels.

  
   “It's important to keep your hands clear of germy areas, but if you can't avoid it, make sure you wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer,” Beth Hayes, a history/english double major, said.

   
   For more information on prevention and treatment of the common cold, please contact Terri Richardson, director of Student Health Services, at 460-1051.

   To view the first installment of this health series on H1N1, please click here.

   To view the second installment of this health series on seasonal flu, please click here.

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