| Coughs and colds are seldom a reason to go to | | | | from a cold virus, not bacteria. The junky cough |
| the ER or to page your doctor. You need to | | | | is usually from mucus dripping down from the |
| understand the common cold and everything that | | | | nose and settling into the chest. |
| comes with it. Coughs and colds can mean a lot | | | | The common cold can take two courses: |
| of things. | | | | - You start off with a clear runny nose for a few |
| UNDERSTANDING THE COMMON COLD VIRUS | | | | days. Over the next few days the mucus turns |
| - Viruses cause colds and coughs. Virtually all colds | | | | from clear, to white, to yellow, then to green. |
| start off as a common cold virus or some other | | | | About 5 to 7 days into the illness, your cough |
| type of viral infection. Whether or not you have a | | | | worsens and you get a fever. After about three |
| fever, green nose, junky cough, or you are | | | | weeks into the illness, the cough quiets down and |
| throwing up mucus, the first several days of any | | | | eventually goes away by four weeks. |
| cough and cold is usually due to a cold virus, not | | | | - Or, out of nowhere you are hit with a high |
| bacteria. | | | | fever, bad cough, headache, sore throat, and |
| - Viral infections are not treatable with antibiotics. | | | | runny or stuffy nose. You may have some |
| Antibiotics will only treat the bacterial complications | | | | vomiting or diarrhea, and your sleeping and eating |
| of colds and cough, such as pneumonia, sinus | | | | patterns will be poor. After 3 or 4 weeks total, |
| infection, and ear infection. They won't help the | | | | the cough is gone and everything is back to |
| basic cough and runny nose associated with a cold | | | | normal. |
| virus. | | | | While these scenarios sound worse and may last |
| - The common cold virus can cause green nasal | | | | longer than many colds, they are well within the |
| secretions and a junky sounding cough. Decades | | | | boundaries of what can be expected during the |
| ago it was commonly felt that a green nose, | | | | course of the common cold virus. By |
| productive cough or a rattling chest meant there | | | | understanding what should be expected from the |
| was a bacterial infection. This belief led to a | | | | common cold, you can decide more accurately |
| severe over-use of antibiotics, which in turn has | | | | when to go to the doctor, and when to stay |
| allowed the bacteria that cause ear infections, | | | | home and ride it out. The main point of these two |
| sinus infections and pneumonia to become tougher | | | | scenarios is to help you understand that antibiotics |
| and more resistant to antibiotics. Now we know | | | | are not necessary for most common colds and |
| that green or junky does not necessarily mean a | | | | coughs. You may not need antibiotics yet for |
| bacterial infection. Viruses can also cause this. | | | | your green nose and junky cough, but your |
| - "I have a productive, junky sounding cough. Isn't | | | | doctor will decide if antibiotics are necessary after |
| this bronchitis and needs antibiotics?" Yes, a junky, | | | | examining you to see if a bacterial infection is |
| productive cough is bronchitis, but no, you may | | | | present. |
| not need antibiotics just yet. Bronchitis is usually | | | | |