Questions and answers

I have a cold – what should I know?

(Bild: Adobe stock- Lightfield Studios, Christoph Hopf)

A cough, sore throat, runny nose and often a fever with headache and aching limbs - a cold is usually harmless. However, Dr. Christian Mate, a general practitioner, explains everything you need to know here and on KroneMED about when it is important to go to a clinic.

Anyone suffering from a viral respiratory illness should stay in bed so as not to disrupt the work of the immune system. Although your family doctor is your first point of contact if you have a cold, you can also call the health hotline on 1450. In a structured telephone conversation, it can be clarified whether a visit to the doctor is necessary and, if so, how urgent this is. The health portal at gesundheit.gv.at also provides a comprehensive range of information on the Internet.

Good to know

How do you get infected?

• Shaking hands
• Contact with surfaces on which the viruses are present (handles, etc.)
• Breathing in air with droplets from sneezing or coughing of an infected person
• Direct droplet transmission through close contact with an infected person

Typical symptoms

• Runny and blocked nose
• Scratchy throat (usually at the beginning)
• Cough - often starts a little later and often lasts longer
• Fever - often absent or only mild in adults

There is an increased risk of illness with mental stress, lack of sleep or sleep disorders, high physical stress and when dealing with many children, e.g. in kindergarten.

The symptoms can often be alleviated with over-the-counter medicines from the pharmacy. Your pharmacist can advise you on the correct use of these medicines. If you suffer from a chronic illness such as asthma, COPD or a cardiovascular disease, you should talk to your family doctor in advance.

How the body heals itself
The common cold, also known as the flu, can be caused by a variety of viruses. There are around 200 different types and subspecies of viruses, many of which are rhinoviruses. The cold viruses multiply in the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract and lead to typical symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or cough. The mostly mild symptoms are not caused by the viruses themselves, but arise because our body wants to fight the viruses and get rid of them again: fever helps the immune system to fight the viruses, colds and coughs are the result of the formation of mucus, which is used to expel the germs from the body.

(Bild: Anastasiia - stock.adobe.com)

Beware of pneumonia
The inflammation in the throat area also makes it easier for immune cells to reach the site of the infection - although this is unpleasant, it makes perfect sense. Antibiotics are not effective against cold viruses, but sometimes bacteria can "sit on top" of the viral infection and cause pneumonia, for example. Your GP will therefore listen to your lungs with a stethoscope. Inflammation of the lungs is indicated by breathing noises that are described in medical terminology as "fine-bubbling, rattling", but sometimes nothing noticeable can be heard when listening despite pneumonia.

(Bild: lev dolgachov)

In any case, your GP will get a comprehensive picture of your condition and advise you accordingly. If there are indications of pneumonia, your GP may refer you for inpatient treatment in hospital. This is particularly advisable for older people and patients in poor general health. For children under the age of six, your family doctor will also consult a pediatrician if the infection is difficult to treat. This doctor specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of young patients. 

KroneMED - your new health portal
On KroneMED you will find everything you need to know about your medical condition and find out directly which doctor is the right person to contact for your symptoms. Click through the clear and interactive KroneMED navigation system.