Colds....so annoying and execrable are they. We have all suffered from them on numerous occasions. The usual symptoms are: Sneezing, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, low grade fever and headaches. Before it was thought that you could treat cold with antibiotics. Big mistake, antibiotics kill bacteria. Nonetheless, colds are caused by a viruses. More specifically Rhino-viruses. Besides, a cold can last up to ten days after its incubation. Ergo, the only cure possible is time. Thus, not even the best pill can arrest a cold until it is time for it to go away. By the way, did you know that in the case of smokers, a cold can last up to 14 days?. How to stave it off? For starters, you can get the flu vaccine or the pneumococcal vaccine. They both can prevent complications that a cold can trigger. Moreover, exercising boost your immune system and thus decreases your chances of getting sick. Further, a good night sleep can raise your defenses too. ¨Artroben¨ nasal sprays are also recommended; due to the fact that they treat symptoms such as congestion more effectively. Last but not least, vitamin C, which has to ingested in a dose of 500 mg per day. It works way better in athletes studies have shown. In fact they say that for the average Joe, its effects are minimal. However, I would not stop eating oranges if I were you. Lastly, I would mention to ingest lots of liquid. What the doctor tells in a flowery language each time to go to his office with a minor cold case. Anyhow, how do we contract colds? Well all know that if we frequent in crowded places, we are more exposed to get them. Some idiot sneezing in those jam-packed areas and not covering their faces can infect us. Besides, a hand shake with a sick person who has just touch their nose can also screw us up. There are lots of more ways to get infected. Furthermore, since the Rhino-virus (just like any other virus) is covert from the eye, it is almost impossible to know you have a cold before its symptoms are shown. To sum up I would say that a common cold per se cannot harm you that much. Notwithstanding, when there are complications, you could even get a pneumonia. Ergo, I would recommend you to apportion household chores among your family to always keep your home out of germs. Also, remember that places and vehicles such as public transport units, are sources of infection. Hence, I would advice you to always carry a handkerchief in your pocket.