When winter comes around, it brings colds with it. We have all probably experienced a cold at some point in our lives, but it is still important to be able to spot the signs of a cold and what to do if a cold occurs.
Common Symptoms of Seasonal Colds
Colds are caused by an infection from a virus. This virus is highly contagious, meaning it spreads easily, usually through the air by coughing and sneezing. And, while it is more common to get a cold during autumn or winter months, you can actually catch a cold any time of the year.
The common cold affects the nose, throat and sinuses, also known as the upper respiratory tract. Symptoms begin to appear over the course of a couple of days. If you have a cold, you might experience the following symptoms that are quite common:
- Blocked or a runny nose
- A sore throat
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Tiredness and feeling unwell
Other cold symptoms include a fever (having a high temperature), sore muscles, blocked ears and sinuses and even a loss of taste and smell.
These symptoms usually last for around 1 or 2 weeks in adults, but this can vary from person to person. However, in children, the cold seems to last a bit longer. They can also be more irritable than normal, have difficulty sleeping or feeding, or can experience vomiting after coughing.
It is important to highlight that this is normal for them and they should feel better soon. In the event that your child or infant is more distressed than normal, it is always best to seek medical professional advice.
Differentiating Colds from Flu and Allergies
Sometimes, the terms cold and flu can be used interchangeably, but it is important to distinguish that they are both different illnesses.
Whilst their symptoms can be similar, and they are both caused by respiratory viruses, the flu virus tends to result in you feeling more ill. The flu causes exhaustion and a general lack of energy that would affect your day to day life, whereas with a cold, you would feel unwell and not 100% but you would still be able to manage carrying on as normal.
The actual symptoms of a cold and flu are similar, like having a cough or a fever, for example. However, how quick these symptoms appear vary. The symptoms of a cold, as mentioned above, come on over the course of 2 or 3 days.
The symptoms of the flu appear much quicker, appearing as quickly as a few hours. And, the parts of the body affected differ as well. A cold mostly just affects your upper respiratory system, like your throat or nose, but the flu causes symptoms all over the body like an aching body, stomach problems and difficulty sleeping.
Allergies, on the other hand, are different. They are not caused by a viral infection, but rather a reaction from your body’s immune system to an allergen like pollen or dust, for example. Allergies usually cause different symptoms than a cold. These symptoms include a runny, watery nose and eyes that are also itchy.
When allergies occur, sore throats and fever, that are usually experienced in colds, do not occur. A wide variety of over the counter treatments are available for allergies, and these can be accessed from your local pharmacy.
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Best Over-the-Counter Remedies for Colds
Once you recognise that you have a cold, the next thing to wonder is how to treat it? Well, there are many over-the-counter remedies that are available for colds.
A popular option is cough and cold medicines that are available for purchase from pharmacies or supermarkets. They do a variety of things but their main purpose is to help relieve your cold symptoms. Another option is to use paracetamol or ibuprofen to help reduce any aches or pain and lower a fever. However, you should make sure that you do not take both a cough and cold medicine alongside paracetamol or ibuprofen in case you take too much of a medication.
If in doubt, please consult your local pharmacist and they can advise you on the suitability of various treatments. This is because not all medication is suitable and some may cause more harm than good. However, there are also various non medicinal methods that can help to ease symptoms which you can read about below.
To help unblock your nose, decongestant nasal sprays are available. They also come in drop or tablet form as well. They help to open your airways and make it easier to breathe through your nose again.
These can be purchased over-the-counter at a pharmacy. Vapor rubs can also help to unblock your chest and help relieve a chesty cough.
Natural Home Remedies for Relief
There are also a range of at-home remedies that you can try, either before using medication or even after trying a medication. The following will help you get better quickly at home:
- Getting lots of rest – this will allow your body time to recharge and also it will also give your body’s immune system a chance to fight the virus.
- Drinking lots of water – it is important to do this because it will reduce your risk of becoming dehydrated.
- Gargle salt water – this will help to soothe your sore throat and help it heal.
- Drink a hot lemon and honey drink – similar to gargling salt water, drinking this hot drink can help soothe your sore throat.
- Breathing in steam – this helps to unblock your nose. To do this, you can run a hot shower or put hot water into a bowl and cover yourself with a towel.
When to See a Doctor
It can be important to recognise and realise when you might need to go see a doctor when you have a cold. This usually should happen if you:
- have a fever for more than 3 days
- feel like your symptoms are getting worse instead of better,
- have had your cold for more than 10 days or have a cough for more than 3 weeks.
Also, if you have long-term medical conditions and you think you have a cold, it is important to go see your GP. They can help guide you to the appropriate treatment that you might need.
You might also be able to get a flu vaccine on the NHS if you have an existing long-term condition, including a weakened immune system.
