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Four More Surprising Facts About The Common Cold

by NAOMI COLEMAN, femail.Co.Uk

There is far more to the common cold than meets the eye. While most of us are over familiar with the flu-like symptoms, there's plenty we don't know about this common condition.

Here, we look at four more fascinating facts about the common cold.

THE OLDER YOU ARE THE LESS LIKELY YOU ARE TO CATCH A COLD

Did you know that by the time you hit 75, you've probably suffered from 200 colds and spent around two years of your life coughing and sneezing? The good news is you catch fewer colds the older you get.

Children suffer from around four to eight colds a year, but elderly people may only have one. This is because we tend to become more immune to colds as we get older because the chances are we've probably already encountered most strains already.

Also, older people tend to have less contact with others as they may not be working and travelling

to and from work. But experts say colds among older people are likely to develop into secondary bacterial infections such as respiratory-related health problems which can become killers.

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IT TAKES 48 HOURS FOR A COLD TO APPEAR

The incubation period for a common cold is usually around two days. Only after this time will symptoms - such as coughing, sneezing and runny nose - start to appear. The virus installs itself in the cells lining the nose and produces a new generation of viruses within just eight hours.

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THE COMMON COLD IS NOT VERY CONTAGIOUS

It's hard to believe but colds are not very contagious. This is because when the virus lands on your body it takes several hours to work its way up to your nose or eyes - the place where the virus develops.

Dr Ron Eccles of Cardiff's Common Cold Centre says: 'Research shows that under laboratory conditions when healthy volunteers are kept with cold sufferers it has proven remarkably difficult to spread infection from one person to another.'

In fact colds are at their most contagious before a sufferer shows any symptoms.

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YOU CAN'T CATCH A COLD THROUGH KISSING!

Surprisingly, common cold viruses are not easily spread through kissing. In laboratory experiments where people with colds kissed healthy volunteers, only one in thirteen people without colds became infected.

You are more likely to catch cold through snuggling up in bed for eight hours with your cold-suffering partner because you need to spend several hours with someone to become contaminated.

For more information on the common cold, visit The Common Cold Centre's website at www.Cf.Ac.Uk

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When Are You Contagious With A Cold? How To Avoid Spreading It

With the UK offering up a questionable summer forecast, you might have found yourself struggling with a cold, much like in the winter months.

If you're still up for getting out and about, you might be wondering when you will be contagious and when you'll be able to enjoy the company of family and friends without spreading your germs.

This is how you can reduce the risk of spreading your cold to the people around you.

The NHS website says a person who has a cold is infectious until they no longer have symptoms – usually around one to two weeks.

A person who has a cold can be contagious for one to two weeks (Image: Getty Images)

Viruses cause colds and they spread easily to other people.

Colds are also spread via germs when someone coughs or sneezes and these germs can live on surfaces as well as hands for 24 hours.

In order to reduce the risk of spreading a cold, the NHS advises that you:

Use warm water and soap to wash your hands often

Trap germs in tissues when you cough or sneeze

Put used tissues in the bin as soon as possible

More information about common colds can be found via the NHS website.

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