Our Definitive Guide to Cold and Flu

So you’ve come down with a nasty bug that’s been making the rounds. The good news? You probably don’t need to go into the doctor’s office. The bad news? You still feel awful.

What to Expect with an Upper Respiratory Infection

If you think you have an upper respiratory infection (URI) — which includes the common cold, sinus infections, chest colds (bronchitis), and the flu (caused by the influenza virus) — there’s a lot you can do at home to feel better faster. You’ll have infections like these many times throughout your life, so learning what helps the most (and the least) is worth your time.

What to Expect with an Upper Respiratory Infection

More than 90 percent of upper respiratory infections are caused by viruses. These infections create different symptoms at each stage. Most colds and flus go away in about a week, although some symptoms (like coughing) can take two or three weeks to go away completely.

What to Expect with an Upper Respiratory Infection

Helen (Eleni) Xenos, a One Medical doctor in Chicago, describes the typical progression of the common cold:

• Day 1: Fatigue, headache, sore or scratchy throat.
• Day 2: Sore throat worsens, low fever, mild nasal congestion.
• Day 3: Congestion worsens, sinus and ear pressure become very uncomfortable. It may be difficult to sleep.
• Day 4: Mucus may turn yellow or green (this is normal). Sore throat improves, but coughing begins.
• Days 5-7: Energy and congestion improve.
• 1 week+: Cough usually tapers off after a week, but can take up to 3 weeks to fully resolve.

If your symptoms are much worse than these, such as coughing so hard you throw up, or coughing up bloody mucus, or if you have a fever over 102°F, you might have something more serious going on, like pertussis (whooping cough) or pneumonia.