How to spot the symptoms of a summer cold and what to do to treat it

Colds are not usually something you associate with summer but that doesn't mean you can't catch one.
Summer colds can often stick around longer than a winter oneSummer colds can often stick around longer than a winter one
Summer colds can often stick around longer than a winter one

In fact The Queen is suffering from one at the moment and was forced to cancel a public engagement.

While typically you would expect to contract a cold during the bleak mid-winter, you can still come down with the sniffles when the weather is glorious.

So what actually is a cold?

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The common cold, also simply known as a cold, is a viral infection disease caused by viruses and easily spread to other people.

You’re infectious until all your symptoms have gone.

This usually takes a week or two. Colds are spread by germs from coughs and sneezes which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.

What is the difference between summer and winter colds?

Both of the diseases have similar symptoms but are caused by different viruses.

a summer cold is more likely to be caused by the cold virus, enterovirus, which prefers the milder conditions of summer. During the winter it is usually rhinovirus, which is more prevalent when it is cold.

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Summer cold’s also often linger around longer than the winter counterparts, which are characterised by being severe but short-lived, and the summer variation also have the habit of recurring.

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What are the symptoms of a summer cold?

If you are unfortunate enough to contract a summer cold over the coming weeks, you will experience runny nose, sneezing, cough, congestion and sore throat are common ailments, as in the winter, along with a raised temperature, aching joints and tiredness. The symptoms are often mistaken for hay fever by sufferers.

How should you treat a summer cold?

If you catch a summer cold this year you should drink plenty of water as well as get plenty of rest and sleep. If you have a sore throat you could also try gargling salt water to relieve the pain. Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be taken to help ease aches and lower a temperature.

Why do we get colds?

During the winter people tend to spend more time in close proximity in confined spaces, but there are also reasons why summer colds spread.

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Going on long-haul flights is a sure-fire way of becoming exposed to other people’s germs, while air conditioning can also dry out noses and throats, meaning enterovirus is more likely to take lodge.

Another theory is that people are more active during the summer months.

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