Cold Symptoms

Symptoms of the common cold usually begin 2 to 3 days after infection and often include

* Mucus buildup in your nose
* Difficulty breathing through your nose
* Swelling of your sinuses
* Sneezing
* Sore throat
* Cough
* Headache
* Fever is usually slight but can climb to 102˚ Fahrenheit in infants and young children. Cold symptoms can last from 2 to 14 days, but like most people, you’ll probably recover in a week. If symptoms recur often or last much longer than 2 weeks, you might have an allergy rather than a cold.

Colds occasionally can lead to bacterial infections of your middle ear or sinuses, requiring treatment with antibiotics. High fever, significantly swollen glands, severe sinus pain, and a cough that produces mucus may indicate a complication or more serious illness requiring a visit to your healthcare provider.