It happens to all of us. We begin feeling sniffly, our throats get sore and we feel generally rundown. The common cold is a viral infection of the nose and throat, otherwise known as a head cold. It affects the upper respiratory tract and although you feel miserable during its course, it is generally harmless. Our travel clinic Vancouver offers seasonal flu shots to protect you and your family from the seasonal flu!
It usually takes about a week or 10 days to recover, although it may take longer for people who are immunosuppressed, elderly, people who smoke, or kids younger than 6 years old.
The Symptoms
The symptoms of a common cold are usually mild and appear anywhere from 1-3 days following exposure either in a crowded place or direct contact with someone who is infected.
- Stuffy or runny nose (with mucus becoming more green as the cold begins to go away)
- Cough (dry and usually developing to wet as the mucus leaves the body)
- Sometimes a fever (generally low-grade, rarely high-grade)
- Sore throat
- Congestion
- Muscle aches
- Sneezing
- Fatigue
Symptoms in Children
Children are usually more prone to catching colds, and often quite good at fighting them off quickly as well. If their symptoms worsen, don’t go away or begin to increase, contact your family doctor right away.
- Ear pain
- Headache or cough
- Wheezing
- Fever of 38C or more, especially in newborns
- Loss of appetite
- Drowsiness
- Unusual fussiness
When to Seek Medical Attention
If your fever goes above 38.5 C, goes away and comes back, or doesn’t go away for more than 5-6 days, difficulty breathing, wheezing or swollen tonsils indicate the time to seek the advice of your family doctor.
Get in touch with us if you wish to learn more about our travel clinic Vancouver and the flu shots we offer, how to protect yourself from the Coronavirus and how to keep your family and kids safe during periods of increased vulnerability to common colds, flu and viruses.
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