Your health: Colds and coughs
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Your health: Colds and coughs
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| There is nothing worse than travelling in peak hour squashed in a train or bus, next to someone sneezing and coughing with a cold you can’t afford to catch. Colds are most common during winter and spread through touching hands or objects contaminated with one of the many viruses that cause colds, or by breathing in droplets from sneezes or coughs. Children can get five to 10 colds per year while adults can get two to four colds per year. Children are more susceptible as they haven’t developed immunity to many cold viruses. This fact sheet was written by Dr Narelle Shadbolt, a Staff Specialist with Hornsby Ku-ring-gai GP Unit. It is part of our Health Hotline series. Symptoms of colds:More than 200 different viruses can cause colds. A cold is an infection of the respiratory tract and usually gets better on its own in five to seven days. Symptoms include sneezing, coughing, sore throat and a blocked or runny nose. The cough is often the last symptom to improve and can last one to two weeks or even longer. Green or yellow mucus may come from the nose, indicating your immune system is fighting the infection, not that the cold is getting worse. However if severe symptoms persist longer than three days – especially a high fever – you should consult your doctor. Tips to help prevent the spread of colds:
Are colds like flu?Many people mistake the common cold for flu (influenza) but they are quite different. The flu is a serious illness with symptoms that include high fever with shivering and sweating, muscle aches, sore throat, headache and cough. A cold usually only affects your nose and throat. The flu can be prevented with a vaccination in March or April each year. See your doctor for information about having an influenza vaccine. How should my cold be treated?Antibiotics do not help a cold get better faster; in fact antibiotics don’t help colds at all. Antibiotics will not stop a cold from getting worse or spreading to other people. Colds are due to viruses. Antibiotics work only on infections caused by bacteria and have no effect on viruses. It is important to remember that using antibiotics when they are not required can make them less effective when they are needed. Antibiotics can also cause unwanted side effects including stomach upsets, diarrhoea, thrush and allergic reactions. The best treatment for the common cold is to rest and treat the symptoms. Stay warm, drink fluids and wait. All medicines, including herbal and natural medicines, can cause unwanted effects and may interact with other medication. Always read the labels carefully when using any medication and talk to your pharmacist or doctor for advice. Remember – to help prevent spreading your cold – be mindful of others! |
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