Sneezing, sore throat, a stuffy nose, coughing - everyone knows the symptoms of
the common cold. It is probably the most common illness. In the course of a year, people in
the United States suffer 1 billion colds.
You can get a cold by touching your eyes or nose after you touch surfaces with cold
germs on them. You can also inhale the germs. Symptoms usually begin 2 or 3 days after
infection and last 2 to 14 days. Washing your hands and staying away from people with colds
will help you avoid colds.
There is no cure for the common cold. But there are treatments that can make you feel better while you wait for the cold to go away on its own:
Getting plenty of rest
Drinking fluids
Gargling with warm salt water
Using cough drops or throat sprays
Taking over-the-counter pain or cold medicines
However, do not give aspirin to children. And do not give cough medicine to children under four.
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