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Common cold

Overview

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Symptoms of a cold include a blocked or runny nose, a sore throat and coughing.

You can ease cold symptoms by resting, drinking plenty of water and using decongestants (not suitable for young children) and painkillers.

Regularly washing your hands and not touching your eyes or nose can help you avoid catching a cold.

The common cold is an infection of your nose and throat. Colds are caused by viruses and are not treated with antibiotics.

Page last reviewed: 04/02/2021
Next review due: 04/02/2024