The common cold is very common—some estimates are that people suffer 1 billion colds a year in the United States alone. Although symptoms are usually mild, lasting for 1 to 2 weeks, colds result in 22 million missed school days each year. Children suffer colds most frequently, as much as 6 to 12 times per year, probably because of close contact in day care centers and schools. Adults average about 2 to 4 colds per year, but women between 20 and 30 years old tend to have more colds than men. This is most likely due to closer contact with children. People over 60 years old usually have only 1 cold per year.

There are more than 200 viruses known to cause cold symptoms. Rhinoviruses cause 30 to 35 percent of colds in adults. Colds from rhinoviruses seldom cause serious illness. More than 100 distinct rhinoviruses have been identified as causing colds. Coronaviruses also cause a large percentage of colds in adults, usually in the winter and early spring. Coronaviruses are difficult to identify because they are hard to grow in a laboratory. Ten to fifteen percent of colds in adults are due to viruses that can cause more serious illness such as parainfluenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Parainfluenza and RSV can cause serious lower respiratory illness in young children. The cause of about a third to half of colds cannot be identified.

Most colds occur during the fall and winter, beginning in August and continuing through April. This seasonal pattern coincides with the opening of school and with colder weather which prompts people to spend more time together indoors increasing the likelihood of spreading a virus. There is no evidence that you get a cold from exposure to cold or from getting chilled or overheated. There is evidence, however, that stress and allergies do increase the likelihood of getting a cold. Viruses survive better when humidity is low, such as occurs in the cold weather of winter.

Symptoms begin 2 to 4 days after infection and can be described by almost anyone. Increased mucous, sneezing, cough, sore throat and headache are common. Fever is usually slight but can get as high as 102°F in young children. Symptoms can last up to 14 days but most clear in a week. Viruses can be spread by touch or by droplets in the air. Treatment includes rest, fluids, gargles or lozenges for sore throat, nasal moisturizers for dry nasal passages, and acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever and headache. Aspirin should be avoided in young children because it is associated with Reye's Syndrome. Reye's Syndrome occurs in children recovering from viral infection that take aspirin. It causes damage to all organs but mostly the brain and liver. Over-the-counter medications can relieve symptoms such as congestion and cough but they do not shorten the duration of a cold.

Frequent hand washing and avoiding contact with people with a cold are the simplest ways of preventing colds. Zinc gluconate nasal sprays (Zicam®) and lozenges (Cold Eeze®) have been shown in independent studies to reduce the duration of a cold if started at the first sign of symptoms. Echinacea was studied in children 2 to 11 years old and did not seem to have any affect on colds. Vitamin C has also not demonstrated any treatment value for colds.

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