Within 7–10 days , people will usually start to recover from a cold. Symptoms begin to ease up, and people will start feeling better. People may also find that they have more energy and are more able to carry out tasks as usual.
Some people might also experience what's known as the post-infectious cough, which is a nagging cough that can last an average of 18 days after your cold subsides. If, however, all your other symptoms have ended, you can consider yourself free and clear.
The stages of a cold include the incubation period, appearance of symptoms, remission, and recovery.
The compounds that cause nasal irritation usually peak at about 48 to 72 hours after the virus first hits your nose. This is when your runny nose is likely to be at its worst, but it may still linger for several more days. Your stuffy nose will likely clear up before typical later-stage symptoms like a cough.
Day 4: Mucus may turn yellow or green (this is normal). Sore throat improves, but coughing begins. Days 5-7: Energy and congestion improve. 1 week+: Cough usually tapers off after a week, but can take up to 3-6 weeks to fully resolve.
Days 3 to 5: Cough and More Nasal Congestion
You may notice that mucus from your runny nose has become thicker, with a yellow or green tinge. This usually is due to a spike in the number of white blood cells your immune system has dispatched to overcome the virus, according to the Mayo Clinic.
On the second and third days, you're likely to have worse symptoms, such as a consistently runny nose and increased sore throat. You may also have a low-grade fever with a temperature less than 102°F. You may not feel much different than you did the first day if your at-home remedies are working.
Blowing the nose regularly prevents mucus building up and running down from the nostrils towards the upper lip, the all-too-familiar runny nose. Later in colds and with sinusitis, nasal mucus can become thick, sticky and harder to clear.
Stage 2 of a Cold: Peak Symptoms
Stage 2 of a cold is days four through seven. Many people find that their symptoms get worse and peak during this time. It is not uncommon for your sore throat to disappear quickly after it starts. You may develop a fever, but this is more common in children than adults.
However, if you have other respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis or pneumonia with COVID-19, you may have a wet cough that contains mucus. Does coughing up mucus mean you're getting better? In most cases, coughing up mucus means your body is working to fight off an infection, and it is in the healing stages.
Vitamin C does not prevent colds and only slightly reduces their length and severity. A 2013 review of scientific literature found that taking vitamin C regularly did not reduce the likelihood of getting a cold but was linked to small improvements in cold symptoms.
An infection can make mucus thicker and stickier. Infections also lead to inflammation in the mucous membranes that line the nose and the rest of your airway. This can cause certain airway glands to make more mucus. That mucus can get thick with bacteria and cells that arrive to fight the infection.
While that loud "Achoo!" may be embarrassing, it's actually a sign that your body is in healthy fighting mode.
You're generally contagious with a cold 1-2 days before your symptoms start, and you could be contagious as long as your symptoms are present—in rare cases, up to 2 weeks.
If symptoms get worse, rather than better, after 3-7 days, you may have acquired a bacterial infection. These symptoms can also be caused by a cold virus other than a rhinovirus.
I'm occasionally asked whether swallowing mucus produced with a respiratory infection is harmful. It's not; luckily the stomach works to neutralise bacteria and recycle the other cellular debris. Some people do report a queasy feeling in the stomach during such infections.
One of the first signs of a cold is green or yellow mucus. It's no reason for concern, and in fact, it means your body is working extra hard to fight off infection. White blood cells rush to battle infection, and when they've done their job, they get flushed out of the body along with the virus.
Colds, allergies, and snot
When you have a cold, your nose and sinuses are more vulnerable to a bacterial infection. A cold virus can trigger the body to release histamine, a chemical that inflames your nasal membranes and causes them to produce a lot of mucus.
Feeling mildly sick, then better and then sick again could be a sign of a "superinfection" — a more serious secondary infection that results when your immune system is weakened from a mild illness. "It could be that the immune system got tired and another infection was able to come in," Weitzman said.
You're not going to catch a cold from the same virus serotype again right after getting better. However, you can still get another cold from a different virus serotype or a different virus. When you get sick, you develop antibodies for the virus serotype you've caught, Dr. Greninger explains.
Mild to moderate physical activity is usually OK if you have a common cold and no fever. Exercise may even help you feel better by opening your nasal passages and temporarily relieving nasal congestion.
Kale, broccoli, cranberries, green tea, red onions, blueberries: What do these have in common? All have an antioxidant called quercetin that may help you fight the common cold.
You may have heard that it's beneficial to “sweat out a cold.” While exposure to heated air or exercise may help temporarily relieve symptoms, there's little evidence to suggest that they can help treat a cold.
There is no way to get rid of a cold fast. A cold will usually go away on its own without treatment. However, a person may experience uncomfortable symptoms while they recover. People can take steps to aid recovery, such as getting plenty of rest.