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Medical Author:

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

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Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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The Common Cold

A cold is an upper respiratory tract infection (URI's) caused by a virus. Since most people with a viral illness (viral upper respiratory infection) generally recover in approximately 7 to 14 days, treatment is focused on symptom control. Symptoms of a cold are:

• runny nose,
  
  
• stuffiness,
  
  
• possibly a sore throat, and
  
  
• hoarseness.

The symptoms the flu (influenza) are different. Influenza (flu) has more systemic symptoms such as fever, chills, coughs, and muscle/body aches.

OTC medications including herbal remedies may be of benefit in controlling symptoms but cannot cure a cold; instead they can potentially minimize the symptoms that cause people to suffer. Herbs have been used for centuries to help relieve cold symptoms but scientific studies have not yet proven their effectiveness. While herbal remedies may be of benefit to some people, it is important to remember that they are not harmless and may interact with prescription medications. Your pharmacist or health care practitioner can give advice as to the safety of a specific treatment plan. Drugstore and grocery shelves are lined with numerous types of drugs used to treat the symptoms of a cold; listed below are some of the treatments for cold symptoms and precautions about their use.