Common Cold

What is a Common Cold?

A common cold is a mild illness caused by a virus. It mainly affects your nose and throat. Most people get better in 1 to 2 weeks without needing to see their GP.

How Do You Know You Have a Cold?

Cold symptoms start slowly over 2 to 3 days. The main signs are:

• Blocked or runny nose
• Sneezing
• Sore throat
• Hoarse voice
• Cough
• Feeling tired and unwell

You might also have:

• High temperature
• Aching muscles
• Loss of taste and smell
• Feeling of pressure in your ears and face

In children: Symptoms can last longer. Children may be grumpy, have trouble feeding and sleeping, breathe through their mouth, and be sick after coughing.

Cold vs Flu - What's the Difference?

Cold	Flu
Starts slowly	Starts quickly within hours
Mainly affects nose and throat	Affects your whole body
You feel unwell but can carry on normally	You feel exhausted and too unwell to do normal activities

How to Get Better at Home

You can treat most colds yourself without seeing your GP:

Do:

• Get plenty of rest
• Drink lots of water to stay hydrated
• Eat healthy food (children may not want to eat for a few days - this is normal)
• Gargle salt water for a sore throat (not for children)
• Drink hot lemon and honey for a sore throat
• Breathe in steam to clear a blocked nose - sit in the bathroom with a hot shower running

Don't:

• Let children breathe steam from a bowl of hot water (risk of burns)
• Give aspirin to children under 16
• Smoke - it makes symptoms worse

Medicine from the Pharmacy

A pharmacist can suggest:

• Paracetamol or ibuprofen for aches and high temperature
• Decongestant sprays or drops for blocked nose (not for children under 6)
• Vapour rubs for chesty coughs in babies and small children

Important: Don't use nasal sprays for more than a week - they can make symptoms worse. Don't mix different cold medicines with paracetamol or ibuprofen tablets.

When to Speak to Your GP

See your GP if:

• High temperature for more than 3 days
• Cold symptoms get worse
• Very high temperature, or you feel hot, cold or shivery
• You feel out of breath or have chest pain
• You're worried about your child's symptoms
• Symptoms don't improve after 10 days
• Cough lasts more than 3 weeks
• You have a long-term condition (like diabetes, heart, lung or kidney problems)
• You have a weakened immune system

Remember: GPs don't prescribe antibiotics for colds because they don't work against viruses.

Stopping the Spread

You're infectious until all symptoms have gone (usually 1-2 weeks). To protect others:

• Wash hands often with warm water and soap
• Use tissues when coughing or sneezing
• Throw tissues away quickly
• Don't share towels or cups
• Don't touch your eyes or nose
• Stay home if you have a high temperature

The flu vaccine doesn't prevent colds, but staying fit and healthy helps your body fight off viruses.

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Based on NHS.uk guidance. Written by Dr Krishnan Pasupathi, NHS GP.