However, cold symptoms may be similar to certain bacterial infections, allergies, and other medical conditions. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis. However, to date, studies have not indicated that high amounts of vitamin C affect the onset and symptoms of the common cold. In addition, taking large quantities of vitamin C over a long period of time may, in fact, be harmful, causing diarrhea and distorting urine and blood test results. Currently, there is no medication available to cure or shorten the duration of the common cold.
Antibiotics are only effective when given to treat bacterial infections.
Aspirin, when given as treatment for viral illnesses in children, has been associated with Reye's syndrome, a potentially serious or deadly disorder in children. When a cold is accompanied by high fever, sinus pain, significantly swollen glands, or a mucus-producing cough, a complication may be present that requires additional treatment. The rhinoviruses and the coronaviruses are the most common causes of a cold. However, the cause of 30 to 50 percent of adult colds remains unidentified. There are more than 110 different rhinoviruses that cause most colds in early fall, spring, and summer.