Healthy Living

What Do You Know About the Common Cold?

1. More than 200 viruses cause colds.


2. Frequent handwashing may reduce your chances of getting a cold.


3. Frequently cleaning telephones, countertops, and faucets in your home when a family member has a cold can help keep the illness from spreading.


4. Wearing warm clothing, staying out of cold drafts, and not going outside with wet hair can keep you from catching a cold.


5. Over-the-counter cold/cough medicines can cure a cold.


6. Keeping your fingers out of your eyes, nose, and mouth can help keep you from getting a cold.


7. It's better to cough or sneeze into a tissue than into your hands.


8. Drinking lots of liquids can help you recover from a cold.


9. Drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes can make you feel worse when you have a cold.


10. Most colds can be self-treated at home.


11. Antibiotics can cure the common cold.


Author: Floria, Barbara

© 2000-2026 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.
Related Articles
Read article
Wellness
Quiz Yourself: Adult Immunizations

True or false: Polio vaccines should be kept up-to-date throughout your lifetime.

Read article
Wellness
Tattoos and Body Piercing Quiz

Tattooing has been performed as a decorative practice since ancient times. It is now also being used for some cosmetic medical procedures and for permanent make-up applications.

Read article
Wellness
Influenza Vaccine

Each winter, millions of people suffer from influenza—the flu. The flu virus infects the nose, throat, and lungs, and spreads from person to person through coughs and sneezes. The video explains why a flu shot is important to help prevent this illness, which can be life-threatening in older adults.

Read article
Wellness
Infection Prevention: Hand Washing

Watch this video to learn how to properly wash your hands to fight off an infection.