Should I use this page, or skip it?
Use this page for a gradual blocked or runny nose, sneezing, a sore throat or mild cough, and to choose pharmacy or GP care. Skip it and call 999 for severe breathing difficulty, sudden chest pain, coughing up blood, or collapse. Use NHS 111 if you feel very unwell and are unsure.
This is a self-care guide, not a test that can name the virus. Colds, flu and COVID-19 overlap. If you want the pattern in one place, use the cold, flu or COVID-19 helper.
If you became exhausted within a few hours and cannot get out of bed, start with the flu page. If you have a new continuous cough, a high temperature, or a sudden change in smell or taste, also read COVID-19.
What is the common cold, in plain English?
The common cold is a mild viral infection of the nose and throat. Different viruses cause the same pattern: blocked or runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough and tiredness. You may also have a high temperature, aches, a short-lived change in taste or smell, or pressure in the ears and face.
Symptoms usually build over two or three days rather than hitting you in an afternoon. A hoarse voice is common. You can often keep doing some normal things, even if you feel grotty. That is one reason the NHS treats a typical cold as something you can manage without a GP.
Colds spread through droplets from coughs and sneezes, and from germs on hands and surfaces. You are infectious while you have symptoms, which is usually 1 to 2 weeks. Wash your hands with soap, use tissues, bin them quickly, and avoid sharing towels or cups. The flu vaccine does not prevent colds.
How do I tell a cold from flu or COVID-19?
You often cannot be sure at home, because the symptoms overlap. Use the pattern to choose the next step, not to give yourself a label. A test is not needed for a typical cold. Most people with COVID-19 symptoms also do not need a test, unless they are eligible for COVID-19 treatment.
| What you notice | More likely | First sensible step |
|---|---|---|
| Gradual blocked or runny nose, sneezing, mild sore throat | Common cold | Pharmacist; rest and fluids |
| Sudden exhaustion, high temperature, aches, too unwell to work | Flu | Rest; GP or 111 if you are at higher risk or getting worse |
| New continuous cough, high temperature, or change in smell or taste | Could be COVID-19 | Stay at home while feverish or too unwell; 111 if unsure |
| Severe breathlessness, sudden chest pain, coughing up blood | Emergency, not a simple cold | Call 999 |
| Cough still there after other cold symptoms have gone, under 3 weeks | Lingering post-cold cough | Pharmacist; GP if it lasts more than 3 weeks |
Flu tends to come on quickly and makes you exhausted. A cold mainly sits in the nose and throat. COVID-19 can look like either. If breathing is hard or chest pain is sudden, stop comparing labels and call 999.
How long does a cold last, and why can a cough linger?
Most people begin to feel better in about 1 to 2 weeks. Symptoms are often worst in the first few days, then ease. A cough can linger after the nose and throat have settled. See a GP if a cough lasts more than 3 weeks.
NICE notes that in adults and older children a cough can persist for up to 3 weeks. The NHS cough page says a cough usually clears within 3 to 4 weeks. That lingering cough is common after a viral cold. It is not, on its own, a reason for antibiotics. See a GP if the cough lasts more than 3 weeks, is getting worse, comes with chest pain or breathlessness, or you are coughing up blood.
Young children can stay symptomatic for longer than adults. They may be irritable, feed poorly, breathe through the mouth, or be sick after coughing. If you are worried about a baby or child, that is a reason to get advice, not to wait for a textbook timeline.
What can I try before a GP appointment?
Start with a pharmacist. They can check which cold remedies are safe with your other medicines, and which are unsuitable in pregnancy, for children, or if you have other conditions. Find a GPhC-registered pharmacy on Pick My Pharmacy. Paracetamol or ibuprofen can ease aches and a high temperature. Do not double up by taking a cold-and-flu powder that also contains paracetamol.
Rest and drink fluids. A hot lemon and honey drink can soothe a sore throat. Do not give honey to children under 12 months, and do not give hot drinks to small children. Gargling salt water can help a sore throat in adults, not in children. Sitting in a steamy bathroom may ease a blocked nose. Do not let children breathe steam from a bowl of hot water, because of scalding.
Decongestant sprays, drops or tablets can unblock a nose for some adults. They should not be used in children under 6. Do not use a decongestant nasal spray for more than a week, because symptoms can rebound. Do not give aspirin to anyone under 16. Smoking makes symptoms worse.
If you need help choosing pharmacy, GP, 111 or A&E, use our service guide.
Why will a GP not give me antibiotics?
Because a cold is viral. Antibiotics kill bacteria. They do not shorten a cold, do not stop it spreading, and do not protect you from “it turning into a chest infection” in the way many people hope. The NHS is explicit: GPs do not recommend antibiotics for colds.
Using antibiotics when they cannot help still causes side effects such as diarrhoea, thrush or an allergic reaction. It also makes bacteria more likely to resist treatment later, when you might truly need an antibiotic for a urine, skin or other bacterial infection.
A GP may still examine you if you are getting worse, you have a long-term condition, or they are worried about a complication. That assessment is not the same as an antibiotic prescription. If a bacterial infection is likely, they will explain why treatment is different this time.
When does a cold need a GP, 111 or 999?
See a GP if a cold lasts more than about 10 days, suddenly gets worse, or a high temperature lasts more than 3 days. See a GP if a cough lasts more than 3 weeks, or you have a long-term heart, lung, kidney or immune condition. Call 999 for severe breathing difficulty or sudden chest pain.
Also see a GP if you feel hot, cold or shivery, or you are short of breath. Get advice if you are worried about a child’s cold, especially if they are not feeding, are having trouble breathing, or you cannot settle them. NHS 111 can help you choose the right service when it is not an obvious emergency. Diabetes, chemotherapy, and other causes of a weakened immune system are reasons to seek advice sooner.
Call 999 or go to A&E if breathing is severely difficult, chest pain is sudden, you are coughing up blood, you collapse, or you think something is seriously wrong. Those are not “wait and see” cold symptoms.
Who is this page not for?
This page is not for someone who cannot breathe properly or has crushing chest pain. It is not a flu protocol for a person who went from well to exhausted in a few hours. It is not a substitute for COVID-19 advice if you are eligible for antiviral treatment and have symptoms.
It will not tell you which brand of supplement to buy. It is not a diagnosis of a chest infection, pneumonia or asthma. If wheeze or breathlessness is the main problem, that needs a different pathway, not another packet of cold-and-flu capsules.
Common questions about common cold
- Will antibiotics help a cold?
- No. Colds are caused by viruses. Antibiotics only work against bacteria, so they will not ease cold symptoms or speed recovery. Taking them when they are not needed can cause side effects and adds to antibiotic resistance. A GP does not recommend them for a typical cold.
- How long does a cold last?
- The NHS says you should begin to feel better in about 1 to 2 weeks. A cough can linger after the blocked nose and sore throat have gone. See a GP if you are not improving after about 10 days, or if a cough lasts more than 3 weeks.
- Is it a cold, flu or COVID-19?
- Colds usually come on gradually and mainly affect the nose and throat. Flu typically comes on quickly and makes you exhausted. COVID-19 can look like either, and may include a new continuous cough, high temperature or a change in smell or taste. You often cannot tell them apart at home. Treat severe breathing difficulty or chest pain as an emergency.
- What can I take for a cold?
- A pharmacist can advise on paracetamol or ibuprofen for aches and a high temperature, and on decongestants for a blocked nose if they are suitable for you. Rest, fluids and a hot lemon and honey drink can soothe a sore throat. Do not give honey to babies under 12 months, and do not give aspirin to anyone under 16.
- When should I see a GP for a cold?
- See a GP if symptoms last more than about 10 days, get worse, or you have a high temperature for more than 3 days. See a GP sooner if you have a long-term heart, lung, kidney or immune condition, or you are worried about a child. A cough lasting more than 3 weeks also needs a GP review.
- Can I still go to work with a cold?
- The NHS says a typical cold makes you unwell but you can often carry on as normal, unlike flu, which usually leaves you too exhausted to work. Stay at home if you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough for usual activities, to recover and to reduce spread.
- Do vitamin C, echinacea or garlic prevent colds?
- The NHS says there is little evidence that vitamin C, echinacea or garlic prevent colds or help you get better more quickly. Handwashing, tissues and not sharing cups or towels matter more than supplements.
- Does the flu vaccine stop colds?
- No. The flu vaccine does not prevent colds. It is still worth having if you are eligible, because flu is a different virus and can make you much more unwell than a cold.