cold is a common diseases
Common cold,
also known simply as a cold,
is a viral infectious disease of the upper
respiratory tract that primarily affects the nose.[2]
The throat, sinuses, and voice box may also be affected.[3]
Signs and symptoms may begin less than two days following exposure.[3]
They include coughing, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, headache, and fever.[4][5]
People usually recover in seven to ten days.[4] Some symptoms may last up to three weeks.[6] In those with other health problems, pneumonia may
occasionally develop.[4]
Well over 200 virus strains are implicated in the cause of the common cold; the rhinoviruses are the most common.[7] They spread through the air during close contact with infected people and indirectly through contact with objects in the environment followed by transfer to the mouth or nose.[4] Risk factors include going to daycare, not sleeping well, and psychological stress.[3] Symptoms are mostly due to the body's immune response to the infection rather than to tissue destruction by the viruses themselves.[8] People with influenza often show similar symptoms as people with a cold, though symptoms are usually more severe in the former.[3]
There is no vaccine for the common cold. The primary methods of prevention are hand washing; not touching the eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands; and staying away from other sick people.[4] Some evidence supports the use of face masks.[9] No cure for the common cold exists, but the symptoms can be treated.[4] Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen may help with pain.[10] Antibiotics should not be used.[11] Evidence does not support a benefit from cough medicines.[3]
The common cold is the most frequent infectious disease in humans.[12] The average adult gets two to four colds a year, while the average child may get six to eight.[13] They occur more commonly during the winter.[4] These infections have been with humanity since ancient times.[14]
