A Cold Is a Cold Is a Cold. Or Is It?

The common cold isn’t usually serious, but it’s still a pain, particularly when you can’t seem to beat the bug

There may not be much you can do to make it go away sooner, but zinc-acetate lozenges (80 to 100 mg of elemental zinc per day for up to two weeks) and vitamin C (up to 8 g per day until you recover) are each worth a try, according to Dr Harri Hemilä of the University of Helsinki’s Department of Public Health. They’re low-cost, low-risk interventions that boast at least some evidence of shortening a cold’s duration, if you take them when symptoms first appear.

In adults with normal immune systems, the common cold typically lasts around seven days. If you have symptoms for weeks on end, visit a GP to rule out another problem. You may actually have bronchitis or chronic sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses), or be suffering from an allergy.

Sinusitis can drag on for 12 weeks or more and can include a runny nose, coughing, headaches and pressure or tenderness in the face. If bacteria are the issue, you may be able to eradicate the cold with antibiotics; a nasal polyp can be surgically removed.

Another possible explanation for an overly lengthy cold: you caught a new bug just as the old one was clearing up. There are more than 200 constantly mutating viruses that can cause colds, so it’s almost impossible to become immune to them all.

To protect yourself, wash your hands frequently. If you can remember, don’t touch your eyes, mouth or nose, since these are three of the main places where the viruses enter the body.