Types and Symptoms of the Common Cold

Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
Updated on May 19, 2025
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The types and symptoms of a cold mainly include the common cold and epidemic cold, based on the causes of the cold. The common cold has relatively mild symptoms, mainly showing nasal congestion, runny nose, dry throat, dry tongue, and sometimes fever and headache may also occur. Epidemic influenza, mainly caused by influenza or parainfluenza virus infection, typically presents with symptoms such as chills, body-wide muscle soreness, and fatigue. Compared to the common cold, symptoms like nasal congestion and runny nose are relatively mild, but the principles of treatment are the same.

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Written by Zhang Shu Kun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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How many days does it take to recover from a cold caused by wind-cold?

Patients with a common cold due to wind-cold usually improve within about 3 to 7 days under normal conditions. The most severe period is the first 1 to 2 days, during which symptoms such as severe coughing and a runny nose are more pronounced. It is recommended to always pay attention to keeping warm and avoid getting chilled to prevent worsening the condition. If the cold is severe, it is crucial to go to a formal hospital in time and treat the symptoms based on the doctor's guidance. Additionally, one can use some anti-inflammatory and wind-cold fighting medicines for effective treatment, which can help improve the cold and hasten the healing process.

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Written by Tong Peng
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Can children take a bath when they have a cold?

Children with colds can take baths, but care should be strengthened during the bath to avoid catching cold, thus preventing the symptoms of the cold from worsening. Since a cold in children is an infectious disease, bathing can keep the child's skin clean and make the child feel comfortable. Appropriate water temperature is beneficial for promoting blood circulation in babies and speeding up metabolism, which is conducive to the recovery of the baby's condition. However, if warming is not promptly ensured during the bath, or if the water temperature is too low or too high, it can cause repeated or even worsened symptoms of the cold in babies. Therefore, parents must pay attention to some nursing details during the bath.

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Written by Wang Jing Hua
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Do cold medicines affect menstruation?

Cold medicine itself does not affect menstruation, but having a cold can affect your constitution, which can influence your menstrual cycle. Many factors can impact menstruation, such as physical condition, excessive staying up late, fatigue, high stress, or extreme dieting or gaining weight. If your period is delayed, the first thing to consider is whether you might be pregnant, and then consider other factors that might cause the delay. If it is delayed by a week, you must first perform a pregnancy test.

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What department should I go to for a cold?

Colds are generally divided into common colds and influenza. For a common cold, one can visit the department of respiratory medicine; if this department is unavailable, one may alternatively visit the general internal medicine department. This disease can also be treated at community hospitals under the general practice department. Additionally, influenza is a contagious disease, so it is typically advised to seek treatment at a fever clinic or a clinic specializing in infectious diseases. If these options are not available, it is recommended to go to a hospital that can treat influenza.

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What will happen if you take medicine for wind-heat cold when you have a wind-cold cold?

The treatment principle for colds caused by wind-cold is to use pungent and warm herbs to expel the pathogen through sweating and to disperse wind-cold. The medications for wind-heat colds mainly focus on using pungent and cooling herbs to expel the pathogen, and the treatment principles for the two are completely opposite. If medications for wind-heat cold are taken for a wind-cold cold, it might lead to a worsening of the trapped cold, causing mild fever, more severe headache, and body aches, along with nasal congestion and a runny nose with clear discharge. At this point, it is necessary to stop using the medication for wind-heat colds and switch to medications for wind-cold colds, or, if the condition is severe, seek a face-to-face consultation with a doctor.