Читать книгу 100 Ways to Boost Your Immune System - Theresa Cheung, Theresa Cheung - Страница 11

It’s called the common cold for a reason; you are more likely to get a cold than any other type of illness. More than 200 different viruses can cause the common cold and there are very few people who escape the infection each year. Most adults get between two and four colds a year and most children get between three and seven as their immune systems are less well developed.

Colds can occur year round but are most common in winter. Symptoms generally include a runny nose, nasal congestion and sneezing, but you may also have a sore throat, cough, headache and mild fever. When someone is down with a cold, his or her nose is teeming with cold viruses and sneezing, nose blowing and nose wiping all spread the virus. You can catch a cold by sitting close to someone with a cold and inhaling the virus or by touching your eyes, nose and mouth after you have touched something contaminated with the virus. People are typically most contagious for the first three days of the cold and not contagious at all after a week.

Once you have caught a cold, symptoms appear within a few days and typically begin with a scratchy throat, followed by sneezing and watery nasal secretions that gradually turn thicker, becoming yellow and green. Most colds are over in a week, with perhaps a few symptoms – such as a cough – lingering on for a further week.

If you get a cold you don’t need antibiotics to treat it unless you have yellow or green nasal discharge for more than 10–14 days. Over-the-counter remedies can offer relief but they won’t cure it. It’s important to rest and drink plenty of fluids.