Common Cold Incubation Period

The common cold is one of the most commonly contracted diseases the world over, and the irritation it causes can be quite unbearable. Knowledge about the common cold incubation period can ease some fears and doubts about the dreaded common cold virus, and can also help you to recognize common cold symptoms in order to know which common cold remedies would be the most suitable for you.

The most widely seen common cold symptoms include a running nose, dryness in the throat, excessive coughing, long headaches, heaviness in the head, flowing of mucus and even the onset of common cold fever. All these factors leave an individual reeling in discomfort and cursing the forces of nature that caused this unwanted annoyance. In the midst of all this, knowing what is incubation period for cold and flu symptoms can make life a little easier. The common cold incubation period is something that can be accurately ascertained by medical science.

How Long is the Common Cold Incubation Period?
It is impossible to know the entire truth about common cold facts, but it is widely believed that common colds are caused primarily by being exposed to a chill. A sudden exposure to low temperatures is the widely accepted reason behind contracting the common cold virus. There were a few tests carried out by scientists recently, on guinea pigs, that showed that being exposed to a chill is the catalyst for contracting a common cold.

What this means is that it is impossible for us to accurately know what is the incubation period for the common cold. The virus may be lodged in our mucous membranes for quite a while, but for it to break out and cause us a cold, direct exposure to a chill will be required. Facts about the common cold incubation period are often heard and read by us, but to trust them completely would be foolhardy.

How do Common Colds Spread?
It is widely believed that common colds are spread by being around people coughing or sneezing. The truth of the matter is that common colds are rarely spread by air borne particles. Only direct contact with an infected person can cause you to contract the common cold virus. Once a person has the virus on his skin, they make their way to the back of the throat. Once they reach there, they stick to the cells inside, and start reproducing. After a while, these minute organisms begin rupturing and spreading to all other parts of the body. This is why when you go to a doctor to receive common cold treatment, he first looks at your throat.

The entire process takes about 8 to 12 hours on an average. So you could realistically say that the common cold incubation period is around 8 to 12 hours. This means that within 8 to 12 hours of coming into direct physical contact with an infected person, you can also contract the disease. But in many cases the common cold contagious period can also last from anywhere between 36 to 48 hours. It is widely observed that the answer to how long are colds contagious is usually between 2-5 days. The worst stage of a common cold occurs on the 3rd or the 4th day.

Reasons for Difference in Common Cold Incubation Period
The primary reason why there are a few differences in the estimated common cold incubation periods is the range and variety of viruses that cause the common cold in the first place. There are hundreds of different viruses that can cause common cold, and even though the symptoms they show are similar in nature, the effect that they actually have on different people may vary. Because of the similar nature of the symptoms, the common cold cures that are available are similar in nature.

The immune system of a person also determines the common cold incubation period in them. Some even claim that it is the immune system that causes the symptoms to erupt, and not the virus. High temperature and fever is also a method by which the body combats the presence of the virus in the body.

Some viruses do not restrict themselves to the nose and the throat, and even attack other parts of the body like the lungs and the stomach. If you're still wondering about how long is the common cold contagious, then your answer is 4 days, on an average. Building the immune system can greatly aid in fighting off this condition.