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Cold symptoms come on gradually over 2 to 3 days.
The main symptoms include:
You may also have:
Symptoms of a cold can last longer in young children. They may also be irritable, have difficulty feeding and sleeping, breathe through their mouth, and get sick after coughing.
Cold and flu symptoms are similar, but flu tends to be more severe.
| Cold | Flu |
|---|---|
|
Cold
Appears gradually |
Flu
Appears quickly within a few hours |
|
Cold
Affects mainly your nose and throat |
Flu
Affects more than just your nose and throat |
|
Cold
Makes you feel unwell, but you're OK to carry on as normal (for example, you can normally go to work) |
Flu
Makes you feel exhausted and too unwell to carry on as normal |
You can usually treat a cold at home without seeing a GP.
There are things you can do to help you get better more quickly.
get plenty of rest
drink lots of fluid, such as water, to avoid dehydration
eat healthy food (it's common for small children to lose their appetite for a few days)
gargle salt water to soothe a sore throat (not suitable for children)
drink a hot lemon and honey drink to soothe a sore throat
breathe in steam to ease a blocked nose – try sitting in the bathroom with a hot shower running
do not let children breathe in steam from a bowl of hot water because of the risk of scalding
do not give aspirin to children under the age of 16
do not smoke as it can make your symptoms worse
Do not give hot drinks to small children.
Do not give honey to children under 12 months old.
If you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better.
You can buy cough and cold medicines from pharmacies or supermarkets.
A pharmacist can advise you on the best medicine, such as:
You can buy nasal sprays without a prescription, but they should not be used for more than a week as this can make your symptoms worse.
Do not use other cough and cold medicines if you're also taking paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets as you may take more medicine than you should.
Some cough and cold medicines are also not suitable for babies, children and pregnant women.
There's little evidence that supplements such as vitamin C, echinacea or garlic prevent colds or help you get better more quickly.
GPs do not recommend antibiotics for colds because they will not relieve your symptoms or speed up your recovery.
Antibiotics only work if you have a bacterial infection, but colds are caused by viruses.
Colds are caused by viruses and easily spread to other people.
You're infectious until all your symptoms have gone. This usually takes 1 to 2 weeks. It can be longer in babies and young children.
Colds are spread by germs from coughs and sneezes, which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.
To reduce the risk of spreading a cold:
A person with a cold can start spreading it from a few days before their symptoms begin until the symptoms have finished.
The best ways to avoid catching a cold are:
The flu vaccine does not prevent colds.
