The common cold, also known as (acute) viral rhinitis, is an afebrile viral URI (upper respiratory tract infection). There may be inflammation in the nose, paranasal sinuses, throat/pharynx, larynx, and even the trachea or bronchi. It can be caused by more than 200 different viruses, but is mostly mild and self-limiting. An adult can expect to catch the cold 1-4 times a year.
The virus is caught by breathing in infected moisture in the air that is caused by an infected person breathing, talking, sneezing or coughing. It can also be caused by touching contaminated objects because the virus can survive for up to 3 days. Thus, staying indoors in crowded situations can spread the virus easily if it is present. It can also be caught easily if a person is fatigued, under physical or emotional stress, have nose or throat allergies, or have a stressed immune system. Exercise can help reduce the URI significantly. More washing of hands and avoidance of hand to face contact can help prevent direct spreading of the cold virus.
Cold symptoms usually start 2-3 days after infection and last 2-14 days. They may be runny nose/rhinorrhea, watery eyes, nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, nasal or throat itching, sore throat, fever, headache, conjunctivitis, and/or fatigue/malaise. Recovery is usually within 7-10 days. Colds are contagious because the virus shed 1-3 days before the onset of symptoms. If symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks, and there is worsening of fever or onset of systemic manifestations, the illness has progressed to become acute upper airway tract infection (acute bacterial sinusitis).
There are 6 classifications of viruses that are known to cause the common cold. They are the rhinovirus, coronavirus, influenza, parainfluenza, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), and adenovirus. There can be many strains of virus within each class of virus, for example, rhinoviruses cause 30-50% of all colds and have more than 100 strains of virus, but is mild and self-limiting. Viruses such as the coxsackieviruses and adenoviruses can cause more severe colds.
The common cold has no cure. The objective of the treatment of the illness is to reduce the occurrence of symptoms and to prevent occurrence of secondary bacterial infection. The medications prescribed by a doctor from a polyclinic in Singapore for the common cold may include the antipyretic and analgesic paracetamol/acetaminophen at 1g tablets for fever or pain, antihistamine chlorpheniramine at 4mg tablets for runny nose or itchy throat, dextromethorphan HBr (Hydrobromide) at 15mg tablets for cough, dequalinium chloride 0.25mg lozenges for sore throat, and acetylcysteine 600mg effervescent tablets for clearing phlegm.
In addition to the medications, a person with cold symptoms should also drink enough water and fluids, get a good rest, have a proper diet, and prevent chills. Other medications, such as herbal and complementary medicines, may help reduce and severity or duration of the illness, but they have not been proven. They are zinc lozenges, high dose vitamin C, and Echinacea.
Antibiotics have no effect on the viruses, but they will be prescribed in the treatment if the illness worsens to become bacterial sinusitis or if there are symptoms of complications. Symptoms of secondary bacterial infection include body temperature higher than 38°C, tender and swollen glands, severe sinus or ear pain, or other unusually worsened symptoms.
The virus is caught by breathing in infected moisture in the air that is caused by an infected person breathing, talking, sneezing or coughing. It can also be caused by touching contaminated objects because the virus can survive for up to 3 days. Thus, staying indoors in crowded situations can spread the virus easily if it is present. It can also be caught easily if a person is fatigued, under physical or emotional stress, have nose or throat allergies, or have a stressed immune system. Exercise can help reduce the URI significantly. More washing of hands and avoidance of hand to face contact can help prevent direct spreading of the cold virus.
Cold symptoms usually start 2-3 days after infection and last 2-14 days. They may be runny nose/rhinorrhea, watery eyes, nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, nasal or throat itching, sore throat, fever, headache, conjunctivitis, and/or fatigue/malaise. Recovery is usually within 7-10 days. Colds are contagious because the virus shed 1-3 days before the onset of symptoms. If symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks, and there is worsening of fever or onset of systemic manifestations, the illness has progressed to become acute upper airway tract infection (acute bacterial sinusitis).
There are 6 classifications of viruses that are known to cause the common cold. They are the rhinovirus, coronavirus, influenza, parainfluenza, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), and adenovirus. There can be many strains of virus within each class of virus, for example, rhinoviruses cause 30-50% of all colds and have more than 100 strains of virus, but is mild and self-limiting. Viruses such as the coxsackieviruses and adenoviruses can cause more severe colds.
The common cold has no cure. The objective of the treatment of the illness is to reduce the occurrence of symptoms and to prevent occurrence of secondary bacterial infection. The medications prescribed by a doctor from a polyclinic in Singapore for the common cold may include the antipyretic and analgesic paracetamol/acetaminophen at 1g tablets for fever or pain, antihistamine chlorpheniramine at 4mg tablets for runny nose or itchy throat, dextromethorphan HBr (Hydrobromide) at 15mg tablets for cough, dequalinium chloride 0.25mg lozenges for sore throat, and acetylcysteine 600mg effervescent tablets for clearing phlegm.
In addition to the medications, a person with cold symptoms should also drink enough water and fluids, get a good rest, have a proper diet, and prevent chills. Other medications, such as herbal and complementary medicines, may help reduce and severity or duration of the illness, but they have not been proven. They are zinc lozenges, high dose vitamin C, and Echinacea.
Antibiotics have no effect on the viruses, but they will be prescribed in the treatment if the illness worsens to become bacterial sinusitis or if there are symptoms of complications. Symptoms of secondary bacterial infection include body temperature higher than 38°C, tender and swollen glands, severe sinus or ear pain, or other unusually worsened symptoms.
Glossary:
afebrile - not feverish
paranasal - pertaining to an area near or alongside the nose
self-limiting - (of a condition) ultimately resolving itself without treatment
malaise - a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or unease whose exact cause is difficult to identify
shed - the expulsion and release of virus progeny
progeny - a descendant or the descendants of a person, animal, or plant; offspring
systemic manifestations - affecting the entire body
syncytial - multinucleated cell that results from multiple cell fusions
multinucleated cell - eukaryotic cell that have more than one nucleus per cell
antihistamine - a drug or other compound that inhibits the physiological effects of histamine, used especially in the treatment of allergies
histamine - a compound which is released by cells in response to injury and in allergic and inflammatory reactions, causing contraction of smooth muscle and dilation of capillaries
syncytial - multinucleated cell that results from multiple cell fusions
multinucleated cell - eukaryotic cell that have more than one nucleus per cell
antihistamine - a drug or other compound that inhibits the physiological effects of histamine, used especially in the treatment of allergies
histamine - a compound which is released by cells in response to injury and in allergic and inflammatory reactions, causing contraction of smooth muscle and dilation of capillaries
References:
- Contemporary medical surgical nursing, Rick Daniels, Leslie Nicoll, 2012
- Medical-Surgical Nursing - Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems, Lewis, Dirksen, Heitkemper, Bucher, 2013
- www.google.com, 2018