What is a cold and how do you get it?

Many people get a cold and know that they really don’t feel good, but how many people really know what a cold is? A cold is an upper respiratory infection that is caused by a number of different viruses. The throat, nose and sinuses are mainly affected but the ears, eyes and lymph nodes may also become affected. A cold is normally transferred from person to person contact, where small droplets of a virus floats through the air after a sneeze or cough. The symptoms of a cold start to take affect after about two days but may not be noticed until seven days after exposure.

Children apparently are more apt to catch a cold due to the fact that they haven’t built up as much of an immunity as an adult. If you average out how many colds a child normally gets a year it estimates at about eight to twelve. Healthy adults estimate at about two to three colds a year, but if your a parent to a child care or school age age child it may be more. Also I will add that sitting in a draft, having wet feet or wet hair are old wives tales and will not give you a cold. A cold is a virus that you catch.