Q&A for How to Get Rid of a Cold

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I have a really bad cold — my head hurts, my nose burns, I keep sneezing, and I am crying a lot. I am 11-years-old — should I see the doctor right away?

Laura Marusinec, MD
Board Certified Pediatrician
Dr. Marusinec is a board certified Pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1995 and completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Pediatrics in 1998. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Society for Pediatric Urgent Care.

Laura Marusinec, MD

Board Certified Pediatrician

Expert Answer

Tell your mom or dad how you are feeling. If you are crying because you feel so bad or have pain, then you should probably see a doctor.

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Question

How do I get rid of a cold before it gets worse?

Laura Marusinec, MD
Board Certified Pediatrician
Dr. Marusinec is a board certified Pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1995 and completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Pediatrics in 1998. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Society for Pediatric Urgent Care.

Laura Marusinec, MD

Board Certified Pediatrician

Expert Answer

Unfortunately, you can't usually do much to get rid of a cold, it has to run its course. But you can do things to make yourself feel better while it is there. Follow the instruction in the article to feel better quickly.

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Question

Is it okay for a child to sleep for 10 hours straight?

Laura Marusinec, MD
Board Certified Pediatrician
Dr. Marusinec is a board certified Pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1995 and completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Pediatrics in 1998. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Society for Pediatric Urgent Care.

Laura Marusinec, MD

Board Certified Pediatrician

Expert Answer

It depends on the child's age and usual sleeping pattern. If 10 hours is much longer than normal, check with your doctor. If your child is otherwise acting very ill or is difficult to awaken or arouse, then have the child seen right away. Older children may sleep 10 hours straight during the night.

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Question

Why do we gets colds on holiday in Portugal each winter?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

You may get colds because you normally say inside more in the winter and are exposed to more respiratory illness.

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