Healthy Living

What Do You Know About the Common Cold?

1. More than 200 viruses cause colds.


2. Frequent handwashing may reduce your chances of getting a cold.


3. Frequently cleaning telephones, countertops, and faucets in your home when a family member has a cold can help keep the illness from spreading.


4. Wearing warm clothing, staying out of cold drafts, and not going outside with wet hair can keep you from catching a cold.


5. Over-the-counter cold/cough medicines can cure a cold.


6. Keeping your fingers out of your eyes, nose, and mouth can help keep you from getting a cold.


7. It's better to cough or sneeze into a tissue than into your hands.


8. Drinking lots of liquids can help you recover from a cold.


9. Drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes can make you feel worse when you have a cold.


10. Most colds can be self-treated at home.


11. Antibiotics can cure the common cold.


Author: Floria, Barbara

© 2000-2026 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.
Related Articles
Read article
Wellness
Quiz Yourself: Adult Immunizations

True or false: Polio vaccines should be kept up-to-date throughout your lifetime.

Read article
Wellness
Tattoos and Body Piercing Quiz

Tattooing has been performed as a decorative practice since ancient times. It is now also being used for some cosmetic medical procedures and for permanent make-up applications.

Read article
Wellness
Take the Drinking Water Quiz

When you're thirsty for a drink of water, you probably turn on the tap, or open a container of bottled water. You may take for granted the quality of the water you drink. but water safety can vary from place to place. Find out more about drinking water by taking this quiz, based on information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Read article
Infectious Diseases
How Much Do You Know About Pet Diseases?

Dogs and cats and birds and hamsters. Snakes and guinea pigs and turtles. The family pet can be a source of joy and companionship, no matter what kind of animal it is. Sometimes, however, your favorite animal can be a source of illness. Learn more about pets and disease by taking this multiple-choice quiz.