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It’s called the “common” cold for good reason

	You will get more colds in your lifetime than any other type of illness. While there is no cure for the common cold, ConsumerReportsHealth.org can help you find treatments that alleviate the symptoms.
	Subscribe to ConsumerReportsHealth.org and find out if pharmaceutical cold remedies or natural medicines rate best for treating a cold.

We've brought together the best research about the common cold and weighed the evidence about how to treat it. You can use our information to talk with your doctor or pharmacist and decide which treatments are best for you.

A cold is an infection of the nose and upper airways usually caused by a virus. Your cold may be caused by one of over 200 viruses, so you can get lots of colds. Young children get more colds than adults because they have not had time to build up immunity to any of the viruses.

Key points about the common cold

• There is no cure for the common cold, but treatments can alleviate the symptoms.
• Common painkillers, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, can help with the sore throat, headache, and aches and pains associated with a cold, and can also reduce fever.
• Decongestants help reduce the swelling inside your nose so you can breathe more easily, but they only work for a short time (usually 3 to 10 hours).
• Antihistamines are usually used to treat allergies, but are also used to treat the runny nose and sneezing of a cold. But the benefit is only small, and your overall cold symptoms probably won't improve.
• Further research needs to be done on natural remedies such as echinacea, zinc and vitamin C, to determine their effectiveness at relieving cold symptoms.

Because acetaminophen is an ingredient in lots of cold remedies, you must take care to avoid accidentally taking too much. An acetaminophen overdose can be life-threatening. You need to read the labels of all the medications you're taking, to ensure that you're not taking more acetaminophen than the recommended dose. You might find it simpler to avoid taking one of these remedies with any other medication containing acetaminophen.

We encourage you to read our entire condition report and to consult with your doctor to learn more about the common cold. As a Consumer Reports Health subscriber, you’ll have access to our expert research and recommendations, and you’ll be more confident and knowledgeable about which treatments are best for you.