A - Z Encyclopedia
Understanding Common Colds
the Basics | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention
the Basics
What Is a Cold?
It's called common cold. The common part is right on: It's the most frequent infection across all U.S. age groups. Most adults have two to four colds per year, and children have three to eight per year. The cause of the common cold is a virus.
You catch a cold virus from another person. This often happens by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. You can also catch a cold by encountering secretions sneezed into the air.
A cold begins when one of the several different kinds of cold virus attaches to the lining of your nose or throat. Your immune system sends white blood cells out to attack this germ. Unless you've encountered it before, the initial attack fails and your body sends in reinforcements. Your nose and throat get inflamed and produce lots of mucus. With so much of your energy directed at fighting the virus, you feel tired and miserable.
What Causes It?
There are about 200 viruses that can cause a cold.
While getting a chill does not cause a cold, there are factors that make a person more susceptible to attack by cold viruses. These include excessive fatigue, emotional distress, allergies involving nose and throat symptoms, and the middle phase of the menstrual cycle.
the Basics | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention
