Common cold incubation period

Common cold

Common cold is one of the most frequent respiratory tract diseases. There is not a person who has never suffered from common cold. The most usual symptoms of this condition are dryness in the throat, running nose and coughing. Furthermore, headaches, annoying excess mucus and heavy head are also some of the signs of common cold.

Incubation period for common cold

In most cases, the causes for this condition are, catching a chill and a sudden exposure to very low temperatures. So, it is almost impossible to tell what the incubation period for the common cold is. The virus can be present in the mucous membranes for a long period of time before we get exposed to a chill.

Many people think that common colds can be passed from person to person easily, for example, when we are near the affected person and he/she coughs or sneezes. It is believed that the viruses that cause A common cold are air borne viruses, but that''s not true, in order to catch the cold we have to have a direct contact with the infected person. When the virus reaches the skin, it travels to the throat and then starts to overproduce itself and spread to the rest of the body. It is considered that the whole process requires about 8 to 12 hours. Therefore, it can be said that the incubation period for the common cold is around 8 to 12 hours, and this is exactly how long it will take for the first symptoms begin to emerge from the moment we get into contact with the infected person. Furthermore, it is also believed that the contiguous period of common cold lasts around 2 to 5 days. The third and the fourth day of common cold are the most difficult days, since the symptoms are most severe during these two days.

The differences in incubation periods for common cold occur due to a type of virus that causes it. Different people react differently to the same type of virus. Furthermore, the state of the immune system of the individual also determines how long the incubation period will last. The people with strong immune system will have long incubation period unlike the people with weak immune system. Therefore, it is very important to boost the immune system with vitamins and minerals and proper diet after the contact with an infected person.