Oct 20, 2008 7:29 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: Treating The Common Cold
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Virtually everyone gets the common cold from time to time.
The average adult gets between two and four colds a year, and kids can get up to 10.
For the most part, chicken soup will do the trick, but some symptoms may require a trip to the doctor.
"It's uncomfortable," Jack Gulino said. "It's very uncomfortable.
Gulino is suffering from the common cold. It's usually harmless, but it doesn't feel that way.
"It started about a week ago," Gulino said. "You know, a lot of congestion in the nose and everything, and chest congestion."
The common cold is an infection of the nose, throat, and upper airway – and everyone is at risk.
"You're predisposed if you work with children, if you're working in health care," Dr. Ronald Fernandez, of St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, said. "New York City is a parked place, and who's not coughing on the subway, on the street? You just tend to be exposed to it a lot."
People are also more likely to get colds during autumn and winter months, when children are in school and people are spending a lot of time indoors.
"We see it a lot," Dr. Fernandez said. "And especially now, we're seeing it in great numbers."
The best approach is prevention – it's important to wash your hands frequently, keep shared surfaces clean, and avoid sick people.
Dr. Fernandez says antibiotics are of no use.
"We need to treat the symptoms of this virus, be it a cold or a flu, and antibiotics really aren't going to make you feel any better," Fernandez said.
"Usually, I just try to get some sleep, stay warm, [and] have some chicken soup," Westchester resident Lenny Carrierr says.
Seek medical attention if you have a fever higher than 102 degrees, cough with colored phlegm, or symptoms that last more than ten days.
"I usually take cold tablets like Advil, Tylenol," Manhattan resident Gil Roses says.
Over-the-counter preparations won't make you better faster, but they can help ease the symptoms.
Children under six years old should avoid OTC medications.
A bad cold can be difficult to distinguish from influenza without taking a test to confirm it.
Generally the flu causes less congestion, but more severe body aches and a higher fever.
And, of course, it can be prevented easily with a flu shot.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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