Cold, Flu, & Cough Health Center

Cold Comfort

Cold Remedy 10: Ask Your Doctor About Supplements

Cold supplements are another option for adults, but the evidence that supplements like vitamin C, echinacea, or zinc is mixed at best, Edelman says. If you want to try one, talk to your doctor first -- and make sure it won't interact with any medicines that you take.

Cold Symptoms: Protecting Others

The best way to fight the common cold is to prevent it. When you're sick with cold symptoms, you need to think a little about the comfort of the people around you. That means protecting them from your germs.

When you have a cold, wash your hands regularly. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. If you've got young kids, piling used tissues on the floor by the living room couch isn't a good idea. If you do have to go to work -- or in public -- despite your cold symptoms, try to protect other people. Bring along some hand sanitizer and apply it regularly.

"Frankly, I think we'd all be a lot healthier if we just had a little more courtesy about cold prevention," Edelman tells WebMD.

As for you, it might be too late. You might already a sneezing, teary-eyed, headachy, drippy mess. The good news is that the common cold usually lasts just about a week. For the time being, the best you can do is collapse onto the couch, make yourself as comfortable as you can, and wait it out.