What are the symptoms of cold?

Usually, the cold and the flu have similar symptoms. As a result, many people confuse one with the other. The major difference is the severity of the symptoms; the symptoms associated with the cold are much less severe than those caused by the flu.

When a person catches cold, his or her throat becomes sore. The soreness usually alleviates after a period of two days. However, by then, other symptoms – such as blockage of the nasal passages or runny nose – become visible. Coughing may also be present. These symptoms usually start 4 to 5 days after the cold is contracted. A mild fever may also occur – especially in children. Gradually, the secretions from the nose get dark in color. However, the color is not a sign of serious infection caused by bacteria; it is simply a usual symptom associated with the common cold.

These symptoms alleviate after a period of a week. If it does not, the affected person needs to be careful. The symptoms may not be caused by common cold; instead, infections caused by bacteria – such as the sinus infection – may be responsible. In this case, simply taking rest will and drinking a lot of liquids will do little good; the affected person may need to take the help of antibiotics.