*Welcome to the OutUK series looking at gay men and their health brought to you in association with the NHS* website.**
	Each week we'll tackle a different topic in our A to Z of Gay Health. We'll have features and advice on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. You can follow any of links provided below for more information direct from the NHS website, or see this week's feature P: Personality Disorders.

Common Cold

Check if you have a cold

Cold symptoms come on gradually over 2 to 3 days.

The main symptoms include:

a blocked or runny nose
sneezing
a sore throat
a hoarse voice
a cough
feeling tired and unwell

You may also have:

a high temperature
aching muscles
a loss of taste and smell
a feeling of pressure in your ears and face

Symptoms of a cold can last longer in young children. They may also be irritable, have difficulty feeding and sleeping, breathe through their mouth, and get sick after coughing.

How you can treat a cold yourself

You can usually treat a cold at home without seeing a GP.

There are things you can do to help you get better more quickly.

Do

get plenty of rest
drink lots of fluid, such as water, to avoid dehydration
eat healthy food (it's common for small children to lose their appetite for a few days)
gargle salt water to soothe a sore throat (not suitable for children)
drink a hot lemon and honey drink to soothe a sore throat
breathe in steam to ease a blocked nose - try sitting in the bathroom with a hot shower running

Don't

do not let children breathe in steam from a bowl of hot water because of the risk of scalding
do not give aspirin to children under the age of 16
do not smoke as it can make your symptoms worse

If you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better.

A pharmacist can help with cold medicines

You can buy cough and cold medicines from pharmacies or supermarkets.

A pharmacist can advise you on the best medicine, such as:

medicines like paracetamol or ibuprofen to ease aches or lower a temperature
decongestant nasal sprays, drops or tablets to unblock your nose (decongestants should not be used by children under 6)
vapour rubs to help ease chesty coughs in babies and small children

You can buy nasal sprays without a prescription, but they should not be used for more than a week as this can make your symptoms worse.

Do not use other cough and cold medicines if you're also taking paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets as you may take more medicine than you should.

Some cough and cold medicines are also not suitable for babies, children and pregnant women.

There's little evidence that supplements such as vitamin C, echinacea or garlic prevent colds or help you get better more quickly.

Find a pharmacy

See a GP if:

you have a high temperature for more than 3 days
your cold symptoms get worse
your temperature is very high or you feel hot and shivery
you feel short of breath or have chest pain
you're worried about your child's cold symptoms
your cold symptoms do not get better after 10 days
you have a cough for more than 3 weeks
you get cold symptoms and you have a long-term medical condition (for example, diabetes, or a heart, lung or kidney condition)
you get cold symptoms and you have a weakened immune system (for example, because you're having chemotherapy)

GPs do not recommend antibiotics for colds because they will not relieve your symptoms or speed up your recovery.

Antibiotics only work if you have a bacterial infection, but colds are caused by viruses.

How to avoid spreading a cold

Colds are caused by viruses and easily spread to other people.

You're infectious until all your symptoms have gone. This usually takes 1 to 2 weeks. It can be longer in babies and young children.

Colds are spread by germs from coughs and sneezes, which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.

To reduce the risk of spreading a cold:

wash your hands often with warm water and soap
use tissues to trap germs when you cough or sneeze
bin used tissues as quickly as possible

How to prevent catching a cold

A person with a cold can start spreading it from a few days before their symptoms begin until the symptoms have finished.

The best ways to avoid catching a cold are:

washing your hands with warm water and soap
not sharing towels or household items (like cups or children's toys) with someone who has a cold
not touching your eyes or nose in case you've come into contact with the virus
staying fit and healthy

The flu vaccine does not prevent colds.

OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health continues and you can read this week's feature P: Personality Disorders. We have covered many subjects in this series and you can catch up with all of our Previous A to Z Features. If you want to find out more about this particular topic you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.
Photos: LightFieldStudios and one of VladOrlov, Stockcube, darak77, ajr_images or rawpixel.com.