If you have a cold, you may find that your symptoms stay for several weeks. This is because your immune system creates inflammation to fight off the infection.
A cold is the result of a common viral infection. Your body’s immune system works to fight off the virus and, in the process, creates inflammation.
This inflammation is what leads to cold symptoms, such as sneezing, coughing, and a sore throat.
Most of these symptoms typically resolve within a few days, but some can last several weeks. There’s no cure for the common cold, but self-care and over-the-counter (OTC) medications can help relieve symptoms.
How long does a cold typically last?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a cold can last for up to 10–14 days. The peak of symptoms is usually at 2–3 days.
Although you might experience a decrease in your symptoms after 1–2 weeks, the symptoms of a cold can last much longer. Congestion, runny nose, and cough can all last longer than 14 days.
A 2020 review notes that it can take up to 18 days for adults to get over a cough and up to 3 weeks for children.
When a virus enters your body, your immune system causes inflammation to fight it. Generally, the symptoms of a cold aren’t from the virus itself but from the inflammation, which can remain for up to several weeks.
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Although you may have a cold for 1–2 weeks, you likely won’t have the same symptoms over that period of time. Here are the general stages of a cold:
Stage 1: Incubation
A cold can occur when a virus, such as a rhinovirus, infects the tissue inside the nose. Symptoms can appear as quickly as 10–12 hours after this infection.
The immune system creates inflammation in the area, causing blood vessels to open wider. This leads to congestion.
Other symptoms, such as runny nose, sneezing, and mucus production, can also occur from this inflammatory response.
Stage 2: Symptom onset
Your symptoms will typically peak 2–3 days into a cold, and you might experience the following:
sneezing
a stuffy nose
a runny nose
coughing
sore throat
watery eyes
fever
During this time, your nasal mucus might change color. White mucus means your immune system is flushing the virus out.
Yellow or green mucus can mean the white blood cells the immune system sends to fight the cold are being flushed out of the body.
Stage 3: Symptoms subside
During this stage of the cold, you see most of your symptoms resolve. A sore throat can typically last up to 8 days, while a headache might last for 9–10 days. Other symptoms, such as congestion, runny nose, and cough, might still remain.
Stage 4: End stage
The end of the cold happens as your symptoms start to resolve. Cough, runny nose, and congestion can all last longer than 14 days but should typically go away after this time.
What home remedies can help?
Several home remedies and self-care options can help relieve cold symptoms.
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worsening symptoms, like a fever of 101 degrees or higher
symptoms that get better then worse
symptoms that don’t ease after 10 days
trouble breathing or rapid breathing
facial pain
severe headache
worsening of a chronic medical condition
dehydration
Summary
A cold may last for a long time due to the inflammation caused by the body’s immune system.
Still, symptoms will generally improve within a few days but can linger for up to 3 weeks. If symptoms don’t get better after 10 days or if you have severe or unusual symptoms, consider speaking with a doctor.