Common Cold Home Remedies

The common cold, also known simply as a cold, is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract that primarily affects the respiratory mucosa of the nose, throat, sinuses, and larynx. Signs and symptoms may appear less than two days after exposure to the virus. These may include coughing, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, headache, and fever. People usually recover in seven to ten days, but some symptoms may last up to three weeks. Occasionally, those with other health problems may develop pneumonia. There is no vaccine for the common cold. The common cold is the most frequent infectious disease in humans. Under normal circumstances, the average adult gets two to three colds a year, while the average child may get six to eight. Infections occur more commonly during the winter. These infections have existed throughout human history.

Common cold Meaning

It is an acute disease of the upper respiratory tract that is marked by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, throat, eyes, and eustachian tubes and by a watery then purulent discharge and is caused by any of several viruses (such as a rhinovirus or an adenovirus).

Common cold Symptoms

The typical symptoms of a cold include:

• Cough,
• Runny nose,
• Sneezing,
• Nasal congestion,
• Sore throat,
• Sometimes accompanied by muscle ache, fatigue, headache, and loss of appetite.

A sore throat is present in about 40% of cases, a cough in about 50%, and muscle aches likewise in about 50%. In adults, a fever is generally not present but it is common in infants and young children. The cough is usually mild compared to that accompanying influenza. 

Common cold Progression

A cold usually begins with fatigue, a feeling of being chilled, sneezing, and a headache, followed in a couple of days by a runny nose and cough. Symptoms may begin within sixteen hours of exposure and typically peak two to four days after onset. They usually resolve in seven to ten days, but some can last for up to three weeks. The average duration of cough is eighteen days and in some cases, people develop a post-viral cough which can linger after the infection is gone. In children, the cough lasts for more than ten days in 35–40% of cases and continues for more than 25 days in 10%.

Common cold Causes

Viruses

The common cold is an infection of the upper respiratory tract which can be caused by many different viruses. The most commonly implicated is a rhinovirus (30–80%), a type of picornavirus with 99 known serotypes. Other commonly implicated viruses include:

• Human coronaviruses,
• Influenza viruses (10–15%),
• Adenoviruses (5%),
• Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV),
• Enteroviruses other than rhinoviruses,
• Human parainfluenza viruses, and
• Human metapneumovirus.

Frequently more than one virus is present. In total, more than 200 viral types are associated with colds.

Transmission of Common cold

The common cold virus is typically transmitted via airborne droplets (aerosols), direct contact with infected nasal secretions, or fomites (contaminated objects). Which of these routes is of primary importance has not been determined. The viruses may survive for prolonged periods in the environment (over 18 hours for rhinoviruses) and can be picked up by people’s hands and subsequently carried to their eyes or nose where infection occurs. Transmission from animals is considered highly unlikely; an outbreak documented at a British scientific base on Adelaide Island after seventeen weeks of isolation was thought to have been caused by transmission from a contaminated object or an asymptomatic human carrier, rather than from the husky dogs which were also present at the base.

Transmission is common in daycare and at school due to the proximity of many children with little immunity and frequently poor hygiene. These infections are then brought home to other members of the family. There is no evidence that recirculated air during commercial flight is a method of transmission. People sitting in close proximity appear to be at greater risk of infection.

Rhinovirus-caused colds are most infectious during the first three days of symptoms; they are much less infectious afterward.

Weather

A common misconception is that one can “catch a cold” simply through prolonged exposure to cold weather. Although it is now known that colds are viral infections, the prevalence of many such viruses is indeed seasonal, occurring more frequently during cold weather. The reason for the seasonality has not been conclusively determined. Possible explanations may include cold temperature-induced changes in the respiratory system, decreased immune response, and low humidity causing an increase in viral transmission rates, perhaps due to dry air allowing small viral droplets to disperse farther and stay in the air longer.

The apparent seasonality may also be due to social factors, such as people spending more time indoors, near infected people, and specifically children at school. Although normal exposure to cold does not increase one’s risk of infection, severe exposure leading to a significant reduction of body temperature (hypothermia) may put one at a greater risk for the common cold; although controversial, the majority of evidence suggests that it may increase susceptibility to infection.

Other

Herd immunity, generated from previous exposure to cold viruses, plays an important role in limiting viral spread, as seen with younger populations that have greater rates of respiratory infections. Poor immune function is a risk factor for disease.

Insufficient sleep and malnutrition have been associated with a greater risk of developing an infection following rhinovirus exposure; this is believed to be due to their effects on immune function. Breastfeeding decreases the risk of acute otitis media and lower respiratory tract infections among other diseases, and it is recommended that breastfeeding be continued when an infant has a cold. In the developed world breastfeeding may not be protective against the common cold in and of itself.

Common cold Pathophysiology

Native Americans have used the herb and root of the echinacea plant to treat infections for more than 400 years. Its active ingredients include flavonoids, chemicals that have many therapeutic effects on the body. For example, flavonoids can boost your immune system and reduce inflammation.

Research on the herb’s effectiveness in fighting the common cold and flu has been mixed. But one 2020 study suggests that taking echinacea may help treat common cold symptoms in children.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C plays an important role in your body and has many health benefits. Along with limes, oranges, grapefruits, leafy greens, and other fruits and vegetables, lemons are a good source of vitamin C. Adding fresh lemon juice to hot tea with honey may reduce phlegm when you’re sick. Drinking hot or cold lemonade may also help.

While these drinks may not clear up your cold entirely, they can help you get the vitamin C that your immune system needs. Getting enough vitamin C can relieve upper respiratory tract infections.

Probiotics

Probiotics are “friendly” bacteria and yeast that are found in your body, some foods, and supplements. They can help keep your gut and immune system healthy, and probiotics may reduce your chance of getting sick with an upper respiratory infection.

For a delicious and nutritious source of helpful bacteria, include probiotic yogurt in your diet. Besides its potential benefits for your immune system, yogurt is a healthy snack that provides plenty of protein and calcium. Look for products that list live bacteria on the label.