1. Natural Cold & Flu Remedies Slideshow
2. Take the Common Cold Quiz!
3. Immune Boosting Foods Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Steven Doerr, MD

Steven Doerr, MD

Steven Doerr, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Doerr received his undergraduate degree in Spanish from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He graduated with his Medical Degree from the University Of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, Colorado in 1998 and completed his residency training in Emergency Medicine from Denver Health Medical Center in Denver, Colorado in 2002, where he also served as Chief Resident.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• What is the common cold, and what causes it?
• How is the common cold transmitted?
• What are the symptoms and signs of the common cold in adults, children, and infants?
• Does it have anything to do with exposure to cold weather?
• What is the difference between the common cold and influenza (the flu)?
• How is the common cold diagnosed?
• What is the treatment for the common cold? Are there any home remedies for the common cold?
• Are antibiotics a suitable treatment for the common cold?
• When should a physician or other health-care practitioner be consulted?
• How do you prevent the common cold?
• Common Cold At A Glance
• Common Cold FAQs
• Patient Comments: Common Cold - What You Do To Avoid
• Find a local Family Physician in your town
• Common Cold Index

There is no cure for the common cold. The common cold is a self-limited illness that will resolve spontaneously with time. Home remedies and treatments are directed at alleviating the symptoms associated with the common cold while the body fights off the infection.

Home treatment for the common cold includes getting rest and drinking plenty of fluids. In older children and adults, over-the-counter medications such as throat lozenges, throat sprays, cough drops, and cough syrups may help relieve symptoms, though they will not prevent or shorten the duration of the common cold. Gargling with warm saltwater may help those with a sore throat. Decongestants such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) or antihistamines may be used for nasal symptoms, while saline nasal sprays may also be beneficial. It is important to note that over-the-counter medications may cause undesirable side effects, therefore they must be taken with care.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol and others) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) can help with fever, sore throat, and body aches.

The treatment for infants and small children with the common cold is supportive as well. It is especially important to allow rest and encourage plenty of fluids in order to prevent dehydration. Nasal drops and bulb suctioning may be used to clear nasal mucus in infants. Medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen may be taken for pain or fever based on the package recommendations for age and weight. Do not use aspirin or aspirin-containing medications in children or teenagers because it has been associated with a rare, potentially fatal condition called Reye's syndrome. Finally, over-the-counter cough and cold medications for infants and children are not recommended (see WARNING below).

WARNING: The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that over-the-counter cough and cold medications not be used in children younger than 4 years of age because serious and potentially life-threatening side effects can occur.