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Other Health Topics:
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Related Topics
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Go Local
- Services and providers for Common Cold in the U.S.
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National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Common Cold is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Common Cold
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. For relief, try
- 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 - but not aspirin for children
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Start Here
- Cold and Flu Guidelines: The Common Cold(American Lung Association)
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Colds and the Flu(American Academy of Family Physicians)
Also available in Spanish
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Common Cold
(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
| Basics | Learn More | Multimedia & Cool Tools |
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| Research | Reference Shelf | For You |
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Overviews
- Common Cold(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Latest News
- Over-the-Counter Cold Medicines Sending Children to Emergency Rooms(08/04/2008, HealthDay)
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Cold and Flu(American Academy of Family Physicians)
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Is It a Cold or an Allergy?(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - Links to PDF
Also available in Spanish
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Is It a Cold or the Flu?(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - Links to PDF
Also available in Spanish
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Treatment
- Cold Remedies: What Works, What Doesn't, What Can't Hurt(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Decongestants: OTC Relief for Congestion(American Academy of Family Physicians)
Also available in Spanish
- Snort, Sniffle, Sneeze: No Antibiotics, Please(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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What to Do for Colds and Flu
(Food and Drug Administration)
Also available in Spanish
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Prevention/Screening
- How Colds Are Spread(Commoncold, Inc.)
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Stopping Germs at Home, Work and School(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Also available in Spanish
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Specific Conditions
- Adenovirus(Nemours Foundation)
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Related Issues
- Asthma: Limit Asthma Attacks Caused by Colds or Flu(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Cold and Flu Guidelines: Myths and Facts(American Lung Association)
- Complications of Colds(Commoncold, Inc.)
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Cough and Cold Medicine Abuse(Nemours Foundation)
Also available in Spanish
- Humidifiers: Vital Steps for Cleaning(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Runny Nose(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Some Cold Medicines Move behind Counter(Food and Drug Administration)
- Unapproved Timed-Release Guaifenesin Products(Food and Drug Administration)
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Anatomy/Physiology
- Understanding Colds: Anatomy of the Nose(Commoncold, Inc.)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Common Cold(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Common Cold
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Antibiotics for coughs and colds. Different in developing world.
- Article: Antibiotics for coughs and colds. Hello, virus.
- Article: Antibiotics for coughs and colds. Goodbye, virus.
- Common Cold -- see more articles
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Organizations
- American Academy of Family Physicians
- American Academy of Pediatrics
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Children
- Babies and the Common Cold(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Chilling Out with Colds(Nemours Foundation)
Also available in Spanish
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Common Cold(Nemours Foundation)
Also available in Spanish
- OTC Cough and Cold Products: Not For Infants and Children Under 2 Years of Age(Food and Drug Administration)
- Recurring Colds or Coldlike Symptoms(American Medical Association)
- Runny Nose (with Green or Yellow Mucus)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Teenagers
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Coping with Colds(Nemours Foundation)
Also available in Spanish
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Coping with Colds(Nemours Foundation)
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Date last updated: 13 September 2008 Topic last reviewed: 02 September 2008 |