Common Cold

A viral infection of the nose and throat. Adults catch 2–4 colds a year and young children up to 8. Miserable but usually harmless, most people feel better in 7–10 days, whatever they take.

Symptoms

• Blocked or runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, headache and tiredness.
• Sometimes a mild fever (more common in children), aches, or a hoarse voice.
• Symptoms build over 2–3 days, peak around day 3 or 4, then ease. A cough can hang on for a couple of weeks.
• Young children may be grumpy, feed or sleep poorly, or vomit after coughing.

Causes and risk factors

• Hundreds of different viruses, rhinoviruses most often. That’s why you can catch colds again and again.
• Spread by droplets from coughs and sneezes, and by hands touching surfaces then your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Children in childcare and school, and the adults who live with them, catch the most.

How it’s diagnosed

• No test is usually needed: the pattern of symptoms is enough.
• See a doctor if symptoms are severe, unusual, or not settling, to check for something else such as flu, COVID-19, an ear or chest infection, or sinusitis.

The cold ladder

Nothing cures a cold. Everything here is about feeling better while your immune system does the work. Most people never need to climb past step 2.

1. Step 1 · Self-careRest, fluids, saline and honeyRest, plenty of fluids, saline nose drops or spray, and warm honey and lemon for a sore throat or cough.

   Works

   Honey probably eases cough and helps children sleep better than no treatment (only for children over 12 months)

   Cost

   A few dollars

   How long

   Until you feel better, usually 7–10 days

   Watch for

   No honey for babies under 12 months: risk of infant botulism.

   Grandma’s honey and lemon has better evidence than most of the cold aisle.

2. Step 2 · PharmacyParacetamol or ibuprofenFor headache, sore throat, aches and fever.

   Works

   Eases aches and fever; doesn’t shorten the cold

   Cost

   About $3–10

   How long

   A few days, as needed

   Watch for

   Many cold-and-flu tablets already contain paracetamol, so check labels to avoid doubling up. No aspirin for children.

   The boring basics, still the best value in the aisle.

3. Step 3 · PharmacyDecongestant nasal spraySprays such as oxymetazoline for a very blocked nose in adults, for a few days only.

   Works

   Clears a blocked nose for a few hours. Decongestant tablets containing phenylephrine don’t work: a US expert panel found them no better than a dummy pill

   Cost

   About $8–15

   How long

   3–5 days at most

   Watch for

   Longer use causes rebound blockage. Not for children under 6.

   Day 6 is when the spray starts causing the stuffiness it was treating.

4. Step 4 · GPA check for something elseIf symptoms are severe, getting worse, or not improving after about 10 days, a doctor looks for ear, sinus or chest infections, or flu or COVID-19.

   Works

   Most people don’t need this step. Antibiotics don’t help colds because they don’t work on viruses

   Cost

   GP fees vary; bulk billing at some clinics

   How long

   One visit

   Watch for

   Also see a GP sooner if you have a long-term heart or lung condition or a weak immune system.

   A cold that’s still there in 3 weeks is either very loyal or not a cold.

Costs are rough Australian prices in November 2026 and vary by pharmacy and provider. PBS co-payment: $25, or $7.70 with a concession card. Results are typical figures from trials, not promises.

Save your money

Popular, heavily marketed or often asked about, but the evidence is weak or says no.

• AntibioticsColds are viral; antibiotics only kill bacteria. They add side effects and resistance, not a faster recovery.
• Vitamin C once a cold startsHigh doses after symptoms begin showed no consistent benefit. Taking it every day all year shortens colds by only about 8% in adults, roughly half a day.
• Echinacea and garlicLittle evidence that they prevent or shorten colds.
• Cough and cold medicines for under-6sAustralia’s medicines regulator says they shouldn’t be given to children under 6: little evidence they work and a risk of serious side effects. Ask a pharmacist before using them in 6- to 11-year-olds.

What you can do

• Wash your hands often and cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow.
• Stay home if you have a fever or feel too unwell for normal activities.
• Use saline spray for a blocked nose, especially in children.
• Don’t smoke, and keep children away from smoke.
• Have asthma? Follow your asthma action plan early: colds are a common trigger.

See your GP if

• Symptoms aren’t improving after 10 days, or are getting worse after starting to improve
• A high fever lasts more than 3 days
• A cough lasts more than 3 weeks
• Ear pain, or face pain that’s severe or on one side
• You have a long-term heart or lung condition or a weakened immune system

Call 000 (Australia) or your local emergency number for anyone who is struggling to breathe. For children: get urgent help if a baby under 3 months has a fever of 38°C or more, or a child is hard to wake, can’t be settled, has blue or grey skin, a rash that doesn’t fade when pressed, is vomiting and can’t keep fluids down, or has had no wet nappy for several hours. From a mobile, 112 works in most countries.

Helpful resources

• Healthdirect: ColdsSymptoms, home care and when to worry, plus a free 24-hour nurse line (1800 022 222). Australia.
• NHS: Common coldPractical self-care tips and when to see a GP. UK.

Evidence and more information

• Healthdirect: Colds
• NHS: Common cold
• Cochrane: Honey for acute cough in children
• Cochrane: Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold
• FDA advisers: oral phenylephrine not effective (2023)
• TGA advice: cough and cold medicines in young children
• Healthdirect: Sinusitis (decongestant spray limits)

Reviewed 1 November 2026. General education, not personal medical advice. Treatment depends on your situation, so talk to your GP or pharmacist.

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