When a common cold has lasted for 7-10 days and is no better or worse, acute bacterial sinusitis may have developed and additional medical care may be required.
Middle ear infection is mainly a problem in children, although it also occurs in adults. During colds, the tube from the back of the throat to the middle ear (eustachian tube) no longer functions well and pressure in the middle ear is abnormal in up to 75% of patients
Common colds can cause asthma attacks and acute worsening of chronic bronchitis in patients with this condition. These episodes are characterized by increased cough, sputum, shortness of breath, and sometimes fever. The fever is presumably due to a secondary bacterial infection and not the viral cold.
Treatment with antibiotics is usually recommended in acute attacks of chronic bronchitis. People with chronic bronchitis and other types of serious lung and heart disease should, when possible, avoid people with fresh colds (1-3 days).
Tags: preventive-careCategorised in: Preventive Care