Serious cold, sore throat, nasal congestion, headache

Condition analysis:
Also known as viral rhinitis, the ordinary cold is among the most common infections among humans. It is primarily an upper respiratory track infection that can be caused by several virus families. The virus family that is responsible for up to 40 percent of colds is called rhino-virus and it has over 100 distinct virus types.

Since common cold symptoms can be caused by so many viruses, it has not been possible to develop a simple cure for the infection. The common cold should not be mistaken for influenza, which can make you ill for much longer, has more severe symptoms, and can result in hospitalization or lead to serious health problems including pneumonia.

Typical symptoms associated with common cold are well known to both doctors and patients. Over half of patients start by developing a sore throat followed by congestion in the sinuses and the nose, sneezing and a runny nose. These symptoms are usually accompanied by fever, cough, and hoarseness which may outlast them sometimes by a few weeks. High fevers, are however, rare from common cold alone.

The symptoms will however, last longer if you have developed a viral bronchitis concomitantly. This happens when the same virus infects both your upper airways and the inner airways. Apart from bronchitis the congestion caused by the common cold can create conditions for other illness, with bacterial sinus infections (sinusitis) being the most common. Patients with respiratory track complications such as asthma may experience more severe symptoms lasting for a month or even longer.

Instructions:
Some cases of common cold can result in the development of complications such as bacterial infections of the lungs, sinuses or middle ear. If you develop ear pain, tooth ache, high fevers, breathing difficulties, severe pain over the sinuses, then it is advised to consult your physician to ascertain that you have not contracted a more serious illness such as bacterial sinusitis, a middle ear infection, pneumonia or bronchitis.