Everyone’s been there – you get a runny nose and your throat starts to feel sore. Then come the coughs and sneezes. And as soon as you start to feel under the weather, the first question that comes to mind is, “how long does a cold last?”
Fortunately, colds tend to be fairly short-lived medical conditions. Although, it may not be entirely possible to give one definitive answer as to the exact duration of the illness. That is because a number of factors can impact how long the symptoms will last. There is the general strength of a person’s immune systems as well as things like smoking – smokers can take longer to recover. But as a general rule of thumb, most colds will pass in 7 to 10 days.
Still, there is a lot more to be said about the ever-present (and ever-annoying) common cold.
Causes
What everyone simply refers to as the cold is technically a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. This means the virus primarily affects your nose and throat. And speaking of the virus that can cause a cold, there isn’t just one out there that you need to avoid. As a matter of fact, over 200 types of viruses can do this, with rhinoviruses being the most common among the culprits.
For this reason, colds are next to impossible to constantly avoid. To put this in concrete terms, the CDC states that otherwise healthy adults will, on average, catch two or three colds each year. For children, the numbers are even higher.
Hence, the common cold is something you will see (and have to endure) all too often. Still, there are some risk factors that can increase your odds of catching it:
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Compromised Immune System
If your immune system is compromised by a chronic illness or weakened in some other way, you stand a far greater chance of getting a cold.
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Age
Children below the age of six are especially at risk.
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Smoking
Not only can smokers experience more severe symptoms, but they are also more likely to catch a cold in the first place.
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Time of Year
Winter is when people are most likely to get a cold, both children and adults. Although, you can catch it during any other season as well.
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Surroundings
If you spend a lot of time around numerous people (particularly children) in enclosed spaces, your odds of getting exposed to cold-causing viruses increase. This can refer to things such as traveling via public transportation or being in school environments.
Symptoms
We already mentioned that it will probably take around a week or 10 days for you to stop feeling the effects of a cold. But you’ll actually start feeling the symptoms between one and three days after you’ve been exposed to the virus.
The intensity of the symptoms will vary from person to person, and not everyone will experience the same ones. But, they can include:
- Nasal Congestion
- Throat Soreness
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Headaches and Body Aches
- Malaise
- Low Fever
While they can certainly cause no small amount of discomfort, the symptoms of the cold are generally harmless. Unless you develop complications, there shouldn’t be any serious issues.
However, it is very important to remember that you can spread the virus to other people. So, even if you’re not feeling particularly sick yourself, you can put others at risk. Therefore, you should take certain measures of precaution until you’re sure you’ve completely recovered.
First and foremost, stay at home. While it is true that no employer enjoys it when their workers call in sick, they’ll enjoy it even less if the virus spreads. The same goes for school.
Also, steer clear of close contact with other people. When coughing or sneezing, use a tissue to cover your nose and mouth. Then, dispose of the tissue. After that, immediately wash your hands.
Finally, disinfect the objects you frequently use. This is because the virus can survive outside of your body for a certain period of time, making it possible to infect others even without direct contact.
Treatment
It is important to be clear about a couple of things right off the bat – there is no cure for the common cold. Nor is there a vaccine. For example, antibiotics will not be of any use. They can help with bacterial infections, but colds are viral in nature.
In essence, you need to let the illness run its course. And as far as treatment is concerned, it is aimed at alleviating the symptoms since it cannot address the root cause.
In this respect, you can use mild pain relievers to feel more comfortable. But, there is also a very large market of over-the-counter medicines specifically designed to help with colds, and these are probably your best bet. Just remember that they are not all the same, and you need to find whatever works best for your specific symptoms. There are pills, medication your dissolve in water, etc. You can also buy decongestant sprays but shouldn’t use them for more than a couple of days in a row.
What is more, several home remedies can make it quite a bit easier to weather the effects of a cold. Everything starts with bed rest. You should also drink plenty of fluids such as water or juice. Of course, there is also chicken soup – it can soothe you and help with congestion. The same goes for tea.
The room you’re in should be warm, but do not overdo it. And if the air is dry, a humidifier can help. Finally, you can soothe your throat by gargling warm water mixed with salt.
All in all, you shouldn’t need any “drastic” treatment for a cold. But if the symptoms appear more severe than usual or persist for longer than 10 days, you should see a doctor without delay.
Conclusion
“How long does a cold last?” That is the question everyone has as soon as they start feeling the well-known symptoms. The answer – usually between 7 and 10 days. And there are no drugs you can take to cure it. You can only alleviate the effects.
Still, it is a harmless condition most of the time. Rest, home remedies, and maybe some over-the-counter medication – you don’t really need anything else.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/symptoms-causes/syc-20351605
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/colds-and-flu-types
https://www.cdc.gov/features/rhinoviruses/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/common-cold/
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