Symptoms

A cold is a disorder in the respiratory tract resulting from exposure, with catarrh and invasion of microbial cleansers. Common cold, coryza, cold in the head, etc., these symptoms are evidenced by an inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, marked by an acute catarrhal condition of the nasal mucous membrane, a slight rise in the temperature, chilly sensations and general indisposition.

Cause

 It is caused by viral or bacterial infection feeding on excessive or copious secretions of mucus (waste materials) often due to the body's inability to properly assimilate milk and concentrated starches. When a cold or fever just gets started, it can be cleared up very easily, if the procedures are started early, before it becomes too advanced.

Sometimes, especially as winter descends on us, it is hard to tell whether that awful feeling is the flu, or just another cold.

Well, we have included a little checklist for you, so you can help to tell them apart.

Symptoms	Cold	Flu
Fever	Rare	High temp. (102-104F); sudden onset; lasts 3-4 days
Headache	Rare	Prominent
Body aches and pains	Slight	Usual; often quite several
Fatique and weakness	Mild	Extremel;can last up to 3 weeks
Bed-ridden	Rare	Almost always
Runny, stuffy nose	Common	Sometimes
Sneezing	Usual	Sometimes
Sore throat;	Common	Sometimes
Chest discomfort;cough	Mild to moderate;hacking cough	Common;can become severe
Prevention	None	Annual vaccination

If your cold is accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms, see your doctor. Your problem may be a more serious disorder than the common cold.

• Fevers that remain above 101°F for more than three days, or any fever above 103°F. Children with high fevers should see a doctor within 24 hours.
• Any hot, extreme pain, such as earache, swollen tonsils, sinus pain, or aching lungs or chest.
• Excessively large amounts of sputum, or sputum that is greenish or bloody.
• Extreme difficulty swallowing.
• Excessive loss of appetite.
• Wheezing.
• Shortness of breath.

Vitamin C may also cut back on coughing, sneezing, and other symptoms. In a study conducted at the University of Wisconsin, cold sufferers taking 500 milligrams of Vitamin C four times per day suffered about half as many symptoms as those not taking the vitamin.

Short-term use of such high doses shouldn't cause any side effects, says Dr. Sehnert. But you should get your doctor's okay before starting any supplement program. Better yet, simply get your additional Vitamin C by drinking it. Orange, grapefruit, and cranberry juices are rich sources of Vitamin C .

Zap it with zinc . Sucking on Lozenges can cut colds short, to an average of four days, researchers in Great Britain and the United States have discovered. zinc can also dramatically reduce symptoms such as a dry, irritated throat, says Elson Haas, M.D., director of the Marin Clinic of Preventive Medicine and Health Education in San Rafael, California. " It doesn't work for everyone, but when it works, it works, " he says.

The down side is that zinc has an unpleasant taste. There are, however, Lozenges on the market that contain honey and/or citrus that are a lot easier to swallow. But do not take more than the amount recommended by your doctor. zinc can be toxic in large doses.

The Cold Truth

So you've got a cold that won't let go, and you'd love to know just who or what to blame? Eliot Dick, Ph.D., a virologist and professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who has conducted research for more than 30 years on how colds are transmitted, says a lot of suspects have been taking a bum rap. They include:

• Sharing food or beverages with someone with a cold
• Kissing someone with a cold
• Not bundling up against the cold
• Sitting in a draft
• Stepping outside with a wet head

The real carrier, of course, is a virus transmitted through the air, says Dr. Dick. You can catch it, he says, when a cold sufferer coughs, sneezes, or does a sloppy job of blowing his nose, sending the virus floating into your path.