Included in this article are facts about the common cold, what is it and is there an effective treatment. Curing the common cold has been a quest of scientists for many years, but we are really not much closer to a cure today than we were a hundred years ago. In fact, many researchers have turned to investigating ancient herbal and traditional remedies for their effectiveness, since modern remedies are lacking.

The common cold; what is it, anyway?

The common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory system. It is not caused by cold weather, getting overheated or getting chilled. It is not caused by bacteria, so antibiotics, the miracle drugs of the last century, are not effective for curing the common cold. The symptoms of common cold may include sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, sore throat, slight fever, headache and a stuffy or runny nose. Not all people have all of these symptoms and scientific studies have shown that some people can be infected with a common cold causing virus and have no symptoms at all. Additionally, symptoms may last as little as two days or as long as two weeks. Those who experience symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, itchy and watery eyes for much longer than two weeks may actually have allergies.

Is There a Cure?

Curing the common cold will probably never be possible, simply because there are hundreds of different viruses that can cause common cold symptoms. Scientists mostly focus on treating or preventing an infection with a common cold virus. The number of over the counter cold remedies is amazing, but understandable, because most people get one or more per year. So, there is a very large market for these products. Studies have shown that many of them are ineffective for reducing the duration of symptoms and often have unwanted side effects. The most promising recent product for reducing the duration of symptoms was a zinc nasal gel or spray, but there is some evidence that using these may cause a permanent loss of the sense of smell. Zinc capsules seem to be effective for some people, as does an increase in intake of vitamin C. But, it is hard for researchers to accurately evaluate the effectiveness of these products because some people recover quickly from symptoms when given a placebo or no treatment at all.

Want more facts about the common cold, what is it, how to treat it, and how to prevent it? Visit the Immune System Booster Guide.

Patsy Hamilton has more than twenty years experience in health care and currently writes informational articles for the Immune System Booster Guide. Read more at http://www.immune-system-booster-guide.com.