Colds | Healthdirect

Key facts

• A cold is a viral infection that usually affects your nose and throat.
• Common symptoms include sore throat, sneezing and a blocked or runny nose.
• Symptoms usually get better on their own within 7 to 10 days.
• There are self-care treatments and medicines that can help you feel better when you have a cold.

On this page

• What are colds?
• What are the symptoms of a cold?
• What causes colds?
• When should I see my doctor?
• How is a cold diagnosed?
• How are colds treated?
• Can colds be prevented?
• Complications of colds
• Resources and support
• Related information on Australian websites

What are colds?

A cold is a viral infection that usually affects your nose and throat.

Colds are very common. Children may get around 6 to 8 colds a year, while adults may get 2 to 4 colds each year.

Colds are more common in winter.

What are the symptoms of a cold?

The symptoms of a cold are usually mild. Symptoms of a cold may include:

• sore throat
• sneezing
• blocked or runny nose
• headache
• cough
• tiredness

Sometimes people have a low-grade fever with a cold. Fever with a cold is more common in children than in adults.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

What causes colds?

More than 200 types of viruses can cause a cold. Most cold viruses belong to 1 of 2 groups:

• rhinoviruses
• coronaviruses

The viruses that cause a cold are highly contagious (infectious). Colds may be spread by:

• touching people, surfaces or objects that have cold virus on them
• breathing in virus from the air, from infected people coughing and sneezing

Should I keep my child home from school?

Here’s a list of common childhood illnesses, including colds and flu, and their recommended exclusion periods.

When should I see my doctor?

See your doctor if you (or your child) have cold or flu symptoms and:

• The symptoms are not improving after a few days.
• You are having trouble drinking or eating, or your baby is not feeding well.
• You have a chronic (ongoing) medical condition, such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease.

See your doctor urgently if you (or your child) have had cold or flu-like symptoms and you:

• have signs of dehydration
• are vomiting often
• have an intense headache or neck stiffness
• have chest pain
• have trouble breathing
• have a rash

See Fever in children and Symptoms of serious illness in babies and children for more information.

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

How is a cold diagnosed?

If you are generally healthy, you probably won't need to see a doctor to have a cold diagnosed. Your immune system will fight the infection and your symptoms should usually clear up in 7 to10 days without any treatment.

You can also test yourself for some viruses that cause cold and flu symptoms with a rapid antigen self-test (RAT). You can buy these from chemists and supermarkets.

If you see your doctor, they will ask about your symptoms and examine you. They will likely:

• check your temperature
• look at your throat and in your ears
• listen to your chest with a stethoscope

They may suggest a throat swab to work out what virus may be causing your symptoms. Throat swabs can check for COVID-19, influenza and some other viruses.

Your doctor may recommend other tests if they want to check for complications of a cold.

How are colds treated?

In most cases, you can treat the symptoms of a mild cold yourself. Most people will get better by themselves within 7 to10 days without any treatment.

Self-care for colds

Some things you can do to relieve cold symptoms include:

• getting plenty of rest
• drinking plenty of fluids
• using saline nasal drops or nose sprays
• drinking warm water with a teaspoon of honey (but do not give honey to babies under one year old)
• sucking on ice cubes or an ice block

Cold medicines

Paracetamol can help with cold symptoms.

Do not give aspirin to children (anyone under 18 years) with a cold.

Over-the-counter medicated lozenges may help relieve sore throat. Do not give lozenges to children younger than 4 years of age.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist about other medicines for colds and flu. These medicines are generally not recommended for children.

Always ask your pharmacist and check the instructions on cold medicines before using them.

Antibiotics do not treat a cold. This is because they only treat illnesses caused by bacteria, while colds are caused by viruses.

Can colds be prevented?

Good hygiene is one of the most important ways to help prevent colds and flu. You can ensure good hygiene by:

• Washing your hands regularly with soap and water, particularly after touching your nose or mouth, after using the toilet and before handling food.
• Sneezing and coughing into your elbow or a tissue (then throwing the tissue away immediately and washing your hands).
• Cleaning surfaces, such as your computer keyboard, telephone and door handles, regularly to get rid of germs.
• Not sharing cups, plates and cutlery.
• Throwing tissues in the bin immediately after using them.

Stay home when you are sick to stop the spread of colds.

There is no good evidence to show that vitamins and other supplements can prevent colds.

Complications of colds

Complications of colds can include:

• ear infections
• sinusitis
• pneumonia

Colds can also make other conditions worse, including asthma, COPD and diabetes.

Resources and support

Learn more about colds and flu.

If you are feeling concerned about any symptoms of a cold, see your doctor. You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Visit the Department of Health website for more information on the flu vaccine or call the National Immunisation Information Line on 1800 671 811.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: April 2024

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Related pages

• Coughs and colds in children
• Rhinovirus

Search our site for

• Influenza
• Cough
• Childhood Illnesses
• Nasal Congestion
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• Cough and cold medicines
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• Post-Nasal Drip
• Nasal decongestants

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