Most colds start with mild symptoms that are easily ignored, and will go away on their own after a few days. However, if your cold symptoms seem to worsen instead of getting better, it may be time to seek medical care for an evaluation of your symptoms. Understanding what’s happening in your body can help you decide when to manage symptoms at home and when to seek medical attention.
At AFC Urgent Care Waltham, our walk-in clinic in Waltham, Massachusetts offers convenient same-day illness diagnosis and treatment for many common conditions like colds, RSV, COVID-19, the flu, and more. If you’re feeling sick, walk into AFC Waltham today for rapid same-day care, or save your spot online in advance using the button below.
Signs Your Body Is Fighting a Cold
When your immune system detects a cold virus, it launches a defence response. Common signs your body is actively fighting a cold include symptoms such as fatigue, mild fever, body aches, congestion, sneezing, and a sore throat. These symptoms are often most noticeable in the first few days and indicate that your immune system is working to eliminate the virus.
How Long Do Cold Symptoms Last?
In most healthy adults, cold symptoms last between 7 and 10 days. The first 2-3 days are usually marked by sore throat and sneezing, followed by nasal congestion and coughing. By the end of the first week, symptoms typically begin to improve. However, a lingering cough or nasal congestion may persist slightly longer. If your symptoms last longer than the 10 day mark, or are worsening over time instead of improving, it’s time to seek medical attention.
Why are my Cold Symptoms Getting Worse Over Time?
If you’re feeling sick and your symptoms are worsening over time, or have lasted longer than 7 to 10 days, it’s important to seek medical attention. Cold symptoms may worsen over time for several reasons. One common cause is secondary infection. As your immune system focuses on fighting the virus, bacteria can take advantage of weakened defences, leading to sinus infections, ear infections, pneumonia or bronchitis. These conditions can lead to severe symptoms, and often require treatment with antibiotics to resolve. Another potential factor leading to your symptoms worsening over time instead of improving is overexertion. Returning to work too soon, lack of sleep, dehydration, or stress can slow recovery and intensify symptoms.
Persistent Cold Symptoms: What to Do
If your cold symptoms persist beyond 10 days or continue to worsen, it’s important to reassess potential causes of your symptoms. Pay close attention to warning signs of a more severe infection such as high fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, severe headache, facial pain, or thick yellow or green mucus lasting several days. These symptoms may indicate complications that require medical evaluation.
Visit AFC Urgent Care Waltham for Rapid Illness Symptom Diagnosis
While most colds resolve on their own, worsening or persistent symptoms should not be ignored. Seeking medical care ensures timely diagnosis, rules out serious infections, and provides appropriate treatment before complications develop. At AFC Urgent Care Waltham, we’re available 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm to provide rapid symptom diagnosis and treatment for common illnesses.
Our clinic accepts most medical insurance plans, and has affordable rates for self-paying patients. We have a laboratory on-site for same-day diagnostic testing with rapid results. Simply walk in for same-day care, or give us a call to learn more at (781) 894-6900.
