Sudden cold symptoms
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Sudden Cold Symptoms: Understanding Onset and Management
Common Cold Symptoms and Onset
Initial Symptoms of a Common Cold
The common cold typically begins with a tickle in the throat, followed by a runny or stuffy nose and sneezing. Other early symptoms can include a sore throat, cough, headache, mild fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and loss of appetite. Nasal discharge may start as watery and then become thick yellow or green, which does not necessarily indicate a bacterial infection requiring antibiotics1.
Symptom Progression in Children and Adults
In school-aged children, the most frequently reported symptoms are nasal congestion, cough, and runny nose. Feverishness and headache are also common at the onset of a cold, with symptoms often persisting for at least 10 days5. In adults, the common cold is characterized by similar symptoms, with sore throat, nasal congestion, and headache being prominent in the initial stages8.
Cold Air and Symptom Triggering
Cold Air Exposure and Symptom Onset
Exposure to cold air can trigger respiratory symptoms, although it is not a direct cause of respiratory diseases. Short-term responses to sudden cooling of the airways can include symptoms such as sneezing and nasal congestion, particularly in individuals with asthma or rhinitis6. Acute chilling of the feet has been shown to cause the onset of common cold symptoms in about 10% of subjects, suggesting that cold exposure can act as a trigger for symptom development4.
Differentiating Between Cold and Flu
Common Cold vs. Influenza Symptoms
While the common cold and influenza share some symptoms, flu symptoms are generally more severe and include sudden onset of fever, muscle pain (especially in the back), sore throat, coughing, and headaches. Flu symptoms can also include a runny nose, burning chest, and eye pain or sensitivity to light. Unlike the common cold, flu symptoms can lead to complications such as pneumonia and inflammation of the heart2 9.
Mechanisms Behind Cold Symptoms
Role of Cytokines and Inflammatory Mediators
The symptoms of the common cold are largely due to the body's immune response to the virus. Inflammatory mediators, particularly pro-inflammatory cytokines, play a significant role in symptom development, including fever, anorexia, malaise, chilliness, headache, and muscle aches3 10. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing effective treatments that target specific symptoms.
Conclusion
Sudden cold symptoms often begin with a tickle in the throat and progress to include nasal congestion, cough, and headache. Cold air exposure can trigger these symptoms, especially in susceptible individuals. Differentiating between the common cold and influenza is important due to the potential severity of flu symptoms. The body's immune response, particularly the role of cytokines, is a key factor in the development of cold symptoms. Recognizing these patterns can aid in the effective management and treatment of cold symptoms.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
The Common Cold
A common cold in children may include symptoms like a tickle in the throat, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, and other issues.
Staying healthy in winter : colds and flu
Common colds are more common in children, and flu is more common in adults, with symptoms typically resolving within five days.
Understanding the symptoms of the common cold and influenza
New knowledge of cytokines helps explain some previously folkloric symptoms of colds and flu, improving our understanding of their mechanisms.
Highly CitedAcute cooling of the feet and the onset of common cold symptoms.
Acute chilling of the feet can cause the onset of common cold symptoms in around 10% of subjects, but further studies are needed to determine the relationship between symptom generation and respiratory infection.
RCTSymptom Profile of Common Colds in School-Aged Children
The common cold in school-aged children is characterized by nasal congestion, cough, and runny nose, with symptoms typically continuing for at least 10 days.
Observational StudyHighly CitedCold air-provoked respiratory symptoms: the mechanisms and management
Cold air-provoked respiratory symptoms vary in mechanisms and depend on individual susceptibility and ventilation levels during cold exposure, requiring understanding for effective management.
Literature Review
Rigorous JournalHighly CitedVaccines for the common cold
There is no conclusive evidence to support the use of vaccines for preventing the common cold in healthy people, and future trials are needed to establish the trade-off between potential benefits and harms.
Systematic Review
Very Rigorous JournalThe natural history of community-acquired common colds symptoms assessed over 4-years.
Common cold symptoms overlap significantly in the first few days, with nasal congestion, secretory, and pain symptoms frequently occurring together, and cough being less prominent but still very bothersome.
Observational StudyStaying healthy in winter
Vaccinate against cold and flu viruses to reduce the risk of contracting these infections.
Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Treatment of the Common Cold
Current treatments for common colds have limited efficacy against specific symptoms, with inflammation playing a key role in the illness' pathogenesis.
Systematic ReviewHighly Cited