Common Facts About the Common Cold

All of us must have suffered from the common cold at different times of our lives. As the term suggests, it is a very common ailment which involves a mild discomfort and is rarely fatal. It is basically a viral infection of the respiratory tract and is extremely infectious.

Symptoms- Common symptoms like a sore throat, running nose and clogging of the nose are usually present in the person suffering from the common cold. With progression of the disease, the patient may complain of watery eyes, muscle ache and general weakness. All these symptoms together with the presence of fever indicate influenza but colds are normally not accompanied by fever. Patients, mostly small kids, may experience the sensation of chill although the weather may be hot and humid. Headaches are a common complaint in this condition.

Treatment- The cold is naturally cured after a week or so. Sometimes the symptoms may drag on for a longer period. There is no cure for the common cold and the physician often treats the symptoms like muscle ache and nasal congestion. The diet plays an important role here and doctors usually recommend a light and nourishing diet which may be fortified with vitamin C. Surprisingly, it has been found that people who do not have sufficient sleep are more susceptible to rhinovirus or the virus for common cold. There is also a theory which stresses on Vitamin D deficiency as a cause but the point remains debatable.

Myths- Our ancestors believed that exposure to the cold weather increased the chance of catching a cold. But there has been no evidence to prove it. Instead close proximity to a person suffering from the common cold and variations in weather patterns has been found to be the commonest cause of catching the common cold.

Prevention- The best way to avoid the cold is by maintaining proper hygiene and cleanliness of the surroundings. Since the virus undergoes mutation frequently, immunization program against the common cold has not been possible so far.