Common Cold Specialist
The common cold may sound simple, but it’s often an uncomfortable illness for children and adults alike. Sometimes, you might think you have a common cold but it’s actually something more serious, like bronchitis. If the symptoms of the common cold are making life miserable, CPI Physicians in Albany, New York, can help. Compassionate board-certified doctors Abul Azad, MD, and Najiib Azad, DO, have the solutions to get you through the cold as quickly and painlessly as possible. Book your appointment online or by phone today.
Common Cold Q&A
What is a common cold?
A common cold is an infection affecting your upper respiratory tract. You can get a common cold from most types of viruses, with rhinovirus being the most common trigger.
Common colds won’t generally cause lasting damage, however they do cause some miserable symptoms. Most adults get 2-3 colds a year, and they’re even more common in children than in adults.
What are the symptoms of a common cold?
The most frequently occurring signs of a common cold include:
- Runny nose
- Stuffy nose
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Sore throat
- Watery eyes
- Body aches
- Low-grade fever
- Overall tired feeling
Generally, symptoms resolve within 10 days, but in some cases, a stubborn cold could linger for a couple of weeks.
When should I see the doctor for a common cold?
If you or your child has cold symptoms that seem more serious than usual, it’s time to see your CPI Physicians doctor. If your fever is higher than 101.3°F, lasts more than five days, or goes away and then returns, see the doctor right away.
Other symptoms may indicate more serious underlying issues like asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema, including breathing problems, wheezing, extremely sore throat, stubborn headache, or severe sinus pain.
Sometimes, the symptoms of a common cold can be quite similar to those of other, more serious conditions. So it’s important to protect your long-term health by seeing the doctor if you have the slightest concern about your common cold symptoms.
How do you treat the common cold?
There’s technically no cure for the common cold, but that doesn’t mean you can’t relieve the symptoms and ease your misery.
Among the treatment measures that can help with the common cold are acetaminophen pain relievers for body aches and headaches, cough syrup to suppress cough, throat spray to soothe a sore throat, and cold medicines that relieve congestion and runny nose.
Your CPI Physicians doctor can tell you which common cold remedies are safest and most effective in your particular situation.
Book your appointment for common cold relief at CPI Physicians by calling the office or using the online booking tool.
