Healthy Living

What Do You Know About the Common Cold?

1. More than 200 viruses cause colds.


2. Frequent handwashing may reduce your chances of getting a cold.


3. Frequently cleaning telephones, countertops, and faucets in your home when a family member has a cold can help keep the illness from spreading.


4. Wearing warm clothing, staying out of cold drafts, and not going outside with wet hair can keep you from catching a cold.


5. Over-the-counter cold/cough medicines can cure a cold.


6. Keeping your fingers out of your eyes, nose, and mouth can help keep you from getting a cold.


7. It's better to cough or sneeze into a tissue than into your hands.


8. Drinking lots of liquids can help you recover from a cold.


9. Drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes can make you feel worse when you have a cold.


10. Most colds can be self-treated at home.


11. Antibiotics can cure the common cold.


Author: Floria, Barbara

Online Medical Reviewer: Felson, Sabrina, MD

Online Medical Reviewer: Sather, Rita, RN

Online Medical Reviewer: Wojcik, Stacey, MBA, BSN

Date Last Reviewed: 04/01/2023

© 2000-2026 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.
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