Day-to-Day Guide to the Common Cold

Flu is an illness that is known to plaguing individuals in many millions in course of the calendar year. The disease affects the efficiency of an individual and general health status. It is normally due to rhinoviruses and other viruses with several effects such as; a runny nose, sore throat, cough, and fatigue. You can never cure common cold but knowing how this ailment progresses will enable you to handle the symptoms well. This day-to-day, day-to-day guide will tell you what your daily live would look like, how your symptoms will be relieved, and when it’s time to see your doctor.

 

Day 1: Symptoms Begin

Most common colds start mild and go so unnoticed, especially at the beginning. Most symptoms start to appear on this day, which include:

 

Symptoms

• Sore Throat: It is usually the very first symptom that people feel as they feel that they are catching a cold. It becomes sore or scratchy sometimes.
• Running or stuffy nose: There will be thin nasal discharges at first.
• You will sneeze lots because your body is trying to expel the virus from your body.
• Fatigue: You'll be a bit tired generally because your body is beginning to fight against infection.

Management Tips

• Rest: You need rest and sleep for your immune system to work properly.
• Hydration: In effect, one should be able to consume liquids in a form of water, her bad teas, soups and broths. The common advice you should give to yourself is never to allow yourself to get dehydrated.
• Gargle Salt Water: If warm salt water is gargled it relieves the throat pain and is also said to contain anti-inflammatory properties.

Day 2: Symptoms worsen

By day two, you're likely to feel worse in most symptoms. You are sure to feel worse before feeling better.

 

Symptoms

• Nasal Congestion: You may experience congestion that will not easily permit breath-taking through your nostrils.
• Thickening Mucus: Nasal discharges may become yellow or even greenish.
• Coughing: You may experience a dry cough, perhaps due to postnasal drip.
• Fatigue: You will feel more tired than you were the previous day.

Management Advice

• Steam Inhalation: You can inhale steam through a bowl of hot water or a hot shower, which will loosen nasal congestion.
• OTC Medications: Use decongestants or antihistamines to control symptoms. Read the labels and follow dosage advice.
• Use a Humidifier: Adding moisture to the air will help ease congestion and calm the irritation in the airways.

Day 3: Peak Symptoms

Day three is usually when the cold symptoms are at their worst. This is usually when most people feel the worst.

 

Symptoms

• Coughing: The coughing will worsen, and the coughing will also bring up mucus.
• Body Aches: There may be mild body aches and fatigue as your body is fighting the infection.
• Headache: At times, the sinus pressure causes headache, which can be really painful.

Self-Care Instructions

• Rest and Rest: Continue to rest as this will allow your body to heal.
• Warm Soups: Warm, thin soups will soothe and hydrate you.
• Pain Medications: As for pain relievers for Headache/Body Aches you should use any drugs which are available over the counter for example ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

View More: Cold vs the Flu whats the Difference

Day 4: Symptoms Relieve

Normally, most patients start feeling some relief of symptoms on the fourth day.

• Breathing: Swelling in the nasal passage will start to resolve; thus, breathing will be easier.
• Less Throat Pain: Because of swelling, the throat should not be nearly as sore.
• Cough: The cough is going to continue but it should be minimal now.

Management Tips

• Fluids: Drink plenty of fluids to liquefy mucus and avoid dehydration.
• Warm tea with honey: It can help soothe the throat and also temporarily ease the cough.
• Light exercise: You can do some light exercises that are very helpful in terms of mood and energy.

Day 5: Recovery Stage

By this time most of the patients have recovered quite well where as in others symptoms continue.

 

Symptoms

• Cough May Continue: You may cough since it is your body that might be purging out the mucus.
• You will feel much more fatigued, but you'll feel better overall.

Care Instructions

• Gradual Return to Normal Activities: While you're recovering work your way back into the routine of life. Just let your body be your guide. It will know when to rest.
• Monitor symptoms and signs-You are expected to be improving at this point. If it worsens, then you have something that will send you running to your healthcare provider.

Day 6-7 Last Days

In general, all your symptoms of common cold must reduce on the last day of week one.

 

Symptoms and Signs

• Cough: you would still have mild coughing. It should, however, be less frequent and rare.
• Recurrent sneezing: since you would have fully recovered; any remaining sneezing might become

Treatment Guide

• Fluid Intake: Drink to dilute and clear out any remaining sputum in your respiratory system.
• Avoid Triggers: Avoid smoke, the smell of something pungent, and allergens responsible for coughing
• Rest: Whenever you feel rested, keep resting to enable your body to recover shortly.

When to Seek Medical Care

Most common cold infections are self-limiting but there are a few symptoms which need medical attention. Seek medical help if you have:

• High Fever: A fever over 101°F (38.3°C) lasting more than three days.
• Difficulty in Breathing: Inability to breathe or wheezing may indicate a critical disease.
• Chest Pain: If the chest pains occur without a visible cause, then seek the doctor.
• Severe Headache: This is the start of an acute headache. An intense headache is often a warning sign for some serious illness.
• Symptoms Worsening: The symptoms worsening over time and don't even improve over time.
• Symptoms over Ten Days: After ten days, it can cause bacterial infection, etc.

Common Cold Facts

 

Causes

The common cold mainly results from viruses. Nevertheless, most cases are linked with rhinoviruses. Other viruses that lead to common cold includes; coronaviruses, adenoviruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Usually, the viruses stem from salivary secretion accidents produced while bearing, sneezing or else by touching parts of the body as well as through contact with potential surfaces that have originated from touching the virus.

 

Risk Factors

Some of the risk factors for catching a common cold include:

• Seasonal Changes: Most of the common cold infections occur during autumn and winter when the population house-bound is most concentrated indoors.
• Disease Weakened Immunity: The immunity of such people gets easily broken down in case of over-stress, lack of rest, or any pre-existing condition.
• Age: Children are easily prone as their immune system has not yet developed completely, and old people have a relatively weakened immunity.
• Smoking: Smoking makes one prone to respiratory infections, like colds

Preventive Measures

The best method of preventing common cold is prevention. Some of the best preventive measures include the following:

 

Hand Hygiene

Avoid close contact Vaccination Healthy Lifestyle

 

Conclusion

One of the most common phenomena in human societies is the common cold; this might throw off all the schedules for the day, but with proper care, it can be dealt with very easily. Understanding the process of how a cold develops will help you to be more careful of yourself in that stage so that recovery becomes stronger. Follow this day-to-day guide to decision-making about your health and healing during your cold.

Please book an appointment with the best General Physician in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and all major cities of Pakistan through InstaCare, or call our helpline at 03171777509 to find the verified doctor for your disease.