Why Won’t My Cold Symptoms Go Away?
Ever feel like your cold is overstaying its welcome? While most colds clear up within a week or two, sometimes pesky symptoms won’t budge. Shanna Elliott, DO, UnityPoint Health, explains why you’re still sniffling and sneezing.
Signs Your Body is Fighting a Cold
There are tell-tale signs your body is fighting a cold. Dr. Elliott says, “Mucus production and nasal discharge are common cold symptoms. Green or yellow mucus is normal and a sign of an upper respiratory infection. It doesn’t rule out a bacterial infection, however.”
Also, your ears may feel full if you have a lot of nasal congestion and inflammation blocking your eustachian tubes from draining. In addition to a runny rose and clogged ears, cold symptoms include:
“If you have these symptoms and a fever higher than 101, you may have influenza,” Dr. Elliott says.
While cold symptoms are uncomfortable, they mean your immune system is doing its best to kick your crud to the curb. “A common cold is harmless. It may not feel that way when you’re experiencing it, but most people recover just fine,” Dr. Elliott says.
How Long Do Cold Symptoms Last?
Typical cold symptoms last seven to 10 days. At most, your cold might linger for two weeks.
“After that, your body has had the opportunity to create antibodies, and it fights off your cold,” Dr. Elliott says.
While some people might recover in seven days from a cold, others take a full two weeks. Feeling better depends on a few things:
- Getting enough sleep, which is necessary for your immune system to function properly.
- Staying hydrated. If you have a sore throat, you may not want to eat or drink. A fever and decongestants also draw moisture from the body.
Why Do Some Colds Get Worse After a Week?
A cough is the most persistent cold symptom in adults and children. It can stick around for one to two months. If your cold isn’t going away, it’s normal to have anxiety that something more serious is brewing.
- Another condition: You could have allergies and drainage down the back of your throat, or silent acid reflux, that’s irritating your vocal cords and making you cough.
- Secondary viral infection: If symptoms are getting worse, or if they were better but are getting worse again, it's possible you’ve developed a secondary infection — such as a sinus infection or pneumonia.
- Bacterial infection: Coughs that don’t stop also can be due to bacterial infections, like acute bronchitis.
- Immunocompromised: Persistent coughs are more common in people who are immunocompromised because of a medication or underlying condition, over the age of 65, have a lung condition or have been a smoker.
Persistent Cold Symptoms
A cough is considered chronic if it lasts longer than eight weeks.
However, Dr. Elliott says it’s unlikely a serious disease like cancer is the cause of a persistent cold.
“Certainly, if your cough or cold is relentless, you should have some type of imaging done. There are certain cancers that present as a cold or cough, especially if you’re older. Acute myeloid leukemia is a blood cancer that’s fairly aggressive. People develop a high fever, night sweats, bruising easily, bleeding, weight loss and swollen lymph nodes — symptoms you don’t see with a common cold,” Dr. Elliott says.
Acute myeloid leukemia is rare. It accounts for about 1% of all adult cancers in the United States. By comparison, adults have two to three colds per year.
If you’re a smoker, especially a heavy smoker, Dr. Elliott recommends lung screenings.
Cold Symptoms Timeline
There are three cold symptom stages, including:
- Stage 1: This is the early stage of your cold, between days one and three. You start to feel unwell but can function and carry on with activities and responsibilities. Your cold symptoms might include the start of a sore throat, runny nose or cough.
- Stage 2: This is the active stage of your cold. The worst day of a cold is anytime between days four and seven. You may develop other symptoms, in addition to what you’re already experiencing, such as a headache, body aches, fatigue and a low-grade fever.
- Stage 3: This is the late stage of your cold when you begin to recover. Your symptoms are likely improving at this point. Some people feel completely better.
Signs Your Cold is Getting Better
You’ll know your cold is on the mend when you notice a slow resolution of your symptoms. The urge to blow your nose subsides and nasal discharge clears up. Fatigue and body aches go away, and energy levels also return to normal.
If you’re concerned you’ve had your cold for too long and your symptoms are bugging you long after you first felt sick, talk to your doctor or save your spot online at an urgent care near you. Your clinic can run the right tests to help you start feeling better soon.