What is common cold?

Germs attack your body, primarily your nose and your throat causing your nose to run, your throat to feel sore and in general body ache and weakness. These germs are of so many types that even if your body fights one type of germ, the other germs are just ready to attack you, whenever they get a chance. In fact, there are more than 80 types of viruses (pronounced as why-rus-is) that cause cold.

These germs usually are mild and the body fights them off within a week. But till then you may feel tired, your nose may run like a tap and your nose will be all red like a red nosed reindeer.

Your doctor will usually prescribe some syrups and medicine to make you feel comfortable. These medicines will make the congestion less and your nose less runny.

Sometimes if your cold is severe, your watery fluid from the nose becomes yellow or you get a severe earache, then your doctor may also give you antibiotics (pronounced as NT-bye-o-tics). These are drugs that kill the bacteria (pronounced as back-tea-ri-ah) germs.

You should take adequate rest when you have the cold. Drinking hot liquids, soups help you feel better. Sometimes you mom may make you inhale steam (she’ll make you breathe the vapor from a pot containing boiling water).

At present, there are no shots available to prevent common cold. So, the only way to take care of it is when you get it, take care!