Signs your cold is getting better

The cold and flu season has been especially rough in recent years, with COVID-19 and RSV added to the mix of viruses that go around. How fast you can get back to business as usual really depends on the answer to the question, "How long is a cold contagious?" After all, you don't want to bring that misery to or get it from someone else.

The common cold is actually pretty common—adults come down with two to three colds a year on average in the U.S., per the CDC. "The common cold is an upper respiratory viral infection that may be caused by a number of different viruses," says Amy Zack, MD, a family medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic.

And more than 200 viruses (!) can cause the common cold, according to the CDC.

Since colds are viral, the only way to treat the common cold is by getting a lot of rest, staying hydrated, and eating foods that support the immune system, notes Dr.

Zack. An important note: Antibiotics do not treat the common cold.

And if you do get sick, you may develop a sore throat, runny

is a cold contagious without fever

is a cold contagious after 5 days