Common Cold Visits

What Is Common Cold Visits?

Although the common cold is usually mild, its symptoms are intrusive to your daily life and it’s easily passed to others. At Sellwood Medical Clinic in Portland, Oregon, the team is equipped to provide you with quick relief for your symptoms and treatments for the underlying condition. The clinic offers convenient and comfortable common cold visits at their office to give you the care you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the common cold?

The common cold is an upper respiratory infection that primarily affects the nose, throat, sinuses, and trachea. There are over 200 different viruses that cause colds, the most common being rhinovirus.

Children younger than 6 are more susceptible to the common cold, but healthy adults can expect to have a cold an average of 2-3 times a year.

What are symptoms of the common cold?

Common cold symptoms develop 1-3 days after the virus enters the body. Some immediately noticeable symptoms of the common cold include the following:

Runny nose
Congestion
Sneezing
Weakened taste and smell
Sore throat
Cough

The discharge from your nose may become yellow or green and thicker, but this is normal for a cold. If your symptoms last longer than 10 days and include a fever or muscle aches, reach out to the team at Sellwood Medical Clinic as you may have the flu and need further testing.

What is the treatment for the common cold?

The team at Sellwood Medical Clinic uses treatments designed to help adults and children feel better as quickly as possible. During your appointment, the committed medical team checks your vitals and listens to your lungs with a stethoscope to determine the extent of the infection and accurately diagnose your illness. Your Sellwood Medical Clinic care provider may suggest over-the-counter medication like acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, or any other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to temporarily relieve aches and pains. They may also suggest a decongestant, antihistamine, or a combination of the two.

Most colds clear up in 7-10 days. If your symptoms linger, you may have a bacterial infection in your lungs, sinuses, or ears. Your care provider at Sellwood Medical Clinic can prescribe antibiotics, but be sure to complete the dosage as instructed or your infection may develop a resistance to the medication.