General Health Tips

Common cold is highly communicable disease characterised by inflammation of musous membrane of nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea,bronchi etc. It is very common disease and almost everybody suffers from this disease once or twice in a year specially in winter season. Children are more susceptible to this disease. Adults usally recover promptly and completely but viral pneumonia may lead to serious complications of upper respiratory tract. Although during common cold a person amy not lie down in the bed but it greatly reduces the efficiency of work. On an average each cold lasts for 1 or 2 weeks.

Common cold is caused by a filtrable virus. Any person, if he comes in contact with another person having cold may also get this disease. Other causes of common cold may include sudden changes in temperature, improper food, obstructions of the nose, fatigue, exposure to cold and dampness etc.

It is transmitted by direct contact, by droplet infection of through fomites like bandkerchief, towel, book, notebook, pen, pencil etc.

Incubations period is from few hours to 2 or 3 days. Sometimes it lasts for 7 days. The immunity short lived.

During common cold the mucous membrane of the nose becomes swollen and the secretions copious. There is sneezing, running of nose, watery discharge from eyes followed by body ache and head ache. Fever may or may not be present.

There is no specific treatment for common cold. Rest is adviseable to give relief from body ache and headache. Analgesics may be helpful in this respect. Common cold generally lasts for a regular course of 1 or 2 weeks and cures itself, although early treatment shortens the attack. If any body has frequent colds, even though they are not severe, a physician should be consulted because frequent colds may prove harmful to the body.

For the prevention of common cold the person suffering from this disease should observe the following precuations:

1. Preferable he should isolate himself for the first 2 or 3 day of cold.

2. He should keep away from crowded places because coughing and sneezing spread this disease.

3. While talking, coughing or sneezing keep a distance from healthy persons and shield the mouth and nose with a handkerchief so that the droplets of infections may not reach to the healthy persons.

4. Avoid talking directly into the face of other persons.