Acute coryza or otherwise called as acute viral nasopharyngitis is one of the most common occurring illnesses in the planet; thus it is also referred to as the common cold. It is highly contagious and is primarily triggered by coronaviruses or picornaviruses.

Colds are characterized by runny nose, coughing, sore throat, sneezing, and nasal congestion. In other cases, it is accompanied by fatigue, muscle aches, muscle weakness, pink eye, headaches, malaise, and absence of appetite. On the other hand, extreme exhaustion and fever are more relevant to a case of influenza.

Cold symptoms usually subside after a week, though some may last longer than this, like reaching up to two weeks. Also, it is typical among younger children and infants that the manifestations of colds are quite severe. Colds may be self-limiting and mild, but people who suffer from such oftentimes seek medical help particularly after one week of being affected. Over the counter prescription drugs are the general means to treat a cold.

Since colds are carried forth by certain type of viruses, the primary means to deal with it is frequent hand-washing in order to minimize virus transmission. Another preventive measure to thwart off the cold virus is to avoid touching the eyes and nose and by not sharing towels or utensils at home. Wearing gloves during the cold season especially in public areas is also advised. Take note that there is no specific antiviral drug for curing or treating possible infection, but only medications to treat the symptoms. Zinc gluconate and great doses of vitamin C have been known to treat the common cold symptoms, yet none is commended by the European Medicines Agency or the Food and Drug Administration.

Common cold normally alleviates in time. In fact, the Americans are affected with one billion colds every year and hardly ever report any complications. Meanwhile, the elderly and those people diagnosed with a more serious health problem may find cold as a serious dilemma. These people must see a professional medical practitioner at the start of a cold attack as a protective measure.

Moreover, drinking lots of fluids provide a tremendous benefit to the person with the colds. Fluid intake breaks up congestion, moisten the throat, and at the same time, prevent dehydration. Aside from water, such fluid may include fruit drinks, sports drinks, ginger ale, and herbal teas among others. Chicken soup is another popular name as well among people with colds.

In addition, inhaled steam is recommended to comfortably deal with colds as it eases drippy nose and congestion. To do this, position your head over a pot or bowl of boiling and or steaming water while breathing through the nose. Practice extra caution when doing such procedure since you are handling hot water. If you find the steam burning your nostrils, then breathe a bit more slowly. You may put a tea kettle or the pot on top of the table and use a towel to cover around your head and the steam. Also, room humidifier or a nasal spray is just as beneficial.

As earlier mentioned, sore throat and cough are among the prevalent signs of colds. Cough strikes when the airway passages become irritated. There are two preparations in dealing for this: suppressants and expectorants. The suppressants function by obstructing the cough reflex. Therefore, it is highly recommended for hacking, dry coughs. Common over the counter medication which falls under this category is dextromethorphan. It is present in medicine products such as Vicks 44, Benylin, Robitussin Maximum Strength, and Pertussin DM or CS. Expectorants, on the other hand, provide relief to coughs coupled with phlegm or too much mucus production. Guaifenesin is one of the active ingredients in mostly prescribed expectorants and examples are Sinumist-SR, Anti-Tuss, Robitussin, and Fenesin.

Likewise, topical sprays and lozenges are the common forms of relief for sore throat. Particularly, lozenges with zinc content are known to provide better relief for several cold symptoms than with the other kinds of throat lozenges. Alongside sprays and lozenges, gargling with warm saltwater also impart aid in managing scratchy throat.

Tags & Keywords : Colds, Flu, Runny Nose, cough