Have you caught a cold? If you have symptoms such as sneezing, sore throat, general malaise, etc., you have caught a cold. And it is likely that, due to the symptoms, you are down and with little desire to do things. But how long do these effects last?
In this article we want to discover you how long does a cold last So that, thus, you can know the days that this condition can lengthen. In these cases, the most recommended thing is that you have patience, that you do not force yourself and that you wait until you are well to regain your normality.
8-10 days, the length of time a cold lasts
The truth is that there is no exact duration of a cold, since it will depend on the immune status of each person and how it has come to affect the condition. However, it is generally known that cold symptoms take 8-10 days to disappear. This would be the minimum time our body needs to fully recover and get back in top shape.
This does not prevent symptoms from disappearing faster in some patients. In fact, it is possible that with a milder cold you will only feel bad for 2 or 3 days and that, later, you will feel better. However, you will not finish cleaning completely until at least a week later when your body has already fought against the viruses that have caused this discomfort.
What is certain is that the first symptoms of the cold do not appear all at once, something that does happen with the flu, but rather appear in a staggered fashion: one day you may feel a cough, another headache and, little by little, the condition appears more completely.
Stages of a cold
The stages of a cold are as follows:
–Day 1 and 2. Appearance of the first symptoms that are usually characterized by sneezing, mucus and / or a sore throat.
–Day 3 and 4. Nasal congestion appears more evident and mucus can affect breathing.
–Day 5 and 6. The cold reaches its peak and tenths of a fever or chills may appear.
–From day 7 It is when we begin to feel better and the symptoms will disappear.
Obviously, these stages can be shorter or longer depending on our state of health. But, generally speaking, a cold lasts 8 to 10 days, as we have discussed.
In addition, the symptoms that we have just indicated can vary greatly in each person. And is that not everyone has a cough or fever; the most common is the appearance of mucus and sneezing, but each person can react differently.
When to go to the doctor?
A cold is a mild health condition and very common in society, so in the first instance it is not necessary to go to the doctor. However, there are some indications that may require you to visit the doctor; here we leave them:
–Duration of coldor: if you have had a cold for more than 10 days and you do not notice improvement, go to the doctor.
–Worsening of symptoms: If new symptoms appear such as vomiting, shortness of breath, diarrhea, etc., go to the doctor.
–Strong fevers: if you exceed 40 ° C fever you should also see a doctor.
This information does not replace in any case the diagnosis or prescription by a doctor. It is important to go to a specialist when symptoms occur in case of illness and never self-medicate.
Bibliography
• Rosas, MR (2008). Flu and cold. OFFARM, 27 (2), 46-51.
• Carmona, RM, & Montoya, FCM (2006). Self-care for the common cold and musculoskeletal pain. Clinical Journal of Family Medicine, 1 (3), 110-114.
• Encabo, B., Fernández, J., Gaminde, M., Gurrutxaga, A., Rodríguez, E., Sakona, L., & Samperio, M. (2004). [Protocolos de atención farmacéutica] Flu and cold. Professional Pharmacy, 18 (11), 32-42.
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