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Common cold - Management
How should I diagnose the common cold in adults and older children?
- Most adults and older children reliably self-diagnose the common cold within a day of developing symptoms. Diagnosis is made through clinical history.
- Common symptoms include:
- Sore or irritated throat. This is often the first symptom. It typically has a sudden onset and resolves rapidly.
- Nasal irritation, congestion, nasal discharge (rhinorrhoea), and sneezing. Nasal discharge is often profuse and clear at first, but becomes thicker and darker as the infection progresses (although this does not usually indicate that bacterial infection is present).
- Hoarse voice (caused by laryngitis).
- Cough develops in about 30% of colds, typically after nasal symptoms have cleared.
- A general feeling of malaise and being unwell.
- Other symptoms are less common.
- Fever is unusual in adults and, if present, will be low-grade.
- Headache and muscle pain (myalgia) may be present, but these symptoms are more often associated with influenza.
- Loss of taste and smell, a mild burning of the eyes, and a feeling of pressure in the ears or sinuses due to obstruction or mucosal swelling may occur.
- Clinical examination and investigations, (such as nasal and throat swabs) are not necessary to diagnose the common cold.
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