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Index of Diseases and Conditions: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Common Cold

Sneezing, a scratchy 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. For relief, try

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Common Cold on Wikipedia

The '''common cold''' is a mild virus (biology) infectious disease of the nose and throat; the upper respiratory system. Its symptoms are sneeze, sniffing, running/blocked nose (often these occur simultaneously, or one in each nostril), scratchy, sore, or phlegm throat, coughing, headache, and a general feeling of unwellness; they last between 3 to 10 days, with residual coughing lasting up to 3 weeks. It is the most common of all diseases, infecting subjects at an average of slightly over one infection per year with greater than 3 infections per year not uncommon in some populations. Children and their caretakers are at a higher risk, probably due to the high population density of schools and the fact that transmission to family members or caretakers is highly efficient. The common cold belongs to the upper respiratory tract infections. It is different from influenza, a more severe viral infection of the respiratory tract that shows the additional symptoms of rapidly rising fever, chills, and body and myalgia.

Pathology

The common cold is caused by numerous virus (biology) (mainly rhinoviruses, coronaviruses and also certain echoviruses, paramyxoviruses and coxsackieviruses) infecting the upper respiratory system. Several hundred cold-causing viruses have been described, and a virus can mutate to survive, ensuring that any cure is still a long way off. These are transmitted from person to person by droplets resulting from coughs or sneezes. The droplets or droplet nuclei are either inhaled directly, or, transmitted from hand to hand via handshakes or objects such as door knobs, and then introduced to the nasal passages when the hand touches the nose, or eyes. The virus enters the cell (biology) of the lining of the nasopharynx, and rapidly multiplies inside them. Nasopharynx being the area between the nose ...   [ Read More ]


External Resources

Giant Microbes - Offering stuffed animals based upon common diseases and maladies, including the common cold, flu, and athlete's foot, at a million times actual size.

Just Fruits and Exotics - Company in Florida's panhandle offering fruit trees for zones 8-10, including most common tree and shrub fruits, cold-hardy citrus and avocado, and persimmon, as well as less common fruits such as pomegranate, mayhaw and jujuba.

Nutraceuticals - Natural cosmetics and herbal treatments, for common complaints such as alopecia, cellulite, bronchitis the common cold and arthritis.

Zinc Acetate Lozenges - Offers zinc lozenges for the common cold, seasonal allergies and throat congestion.

Have I Got Flu.com - UK company providing home testing kits to help the user determine whether they have influenza or a common cold.

Common Cold Cure - Claims to have a simple formula for curing the common cold. Information provided for a fee.

Chinese Harmony Institute - Manufacturer of remedies for common ailments such as digestive problems, insomnia and stress, allergies, colds and flus, and gynecological problems.

Quigley Corporation - Manufacturers lozenges designed to reduce the duration and severity of the common cold and other dietary supplements. (Nasdaq: QGLY).

ViroPharma Incorporated - Develops proprietary antiviral pharmaceuticals for treatment of viral diseases including summer flu, common cold, Influenza, Hepatitis C and viral Pneumonia. (Nasdaq: VPHM).

Grouppe Kurosawa - Caffeine and green tea treatment to kill HIV infected cells. Also used for curing cancer, the common cold, and reducing stress.



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