Cough, sore throat, runny nose and hoarseness: these symptoms are typical of a cold, also known as a flu-like infection. The symptoms can occur in varying degrees of intensity and in different combinations.
Most colds are caused by viruses and are transmitted by droplet or smear infection. The pathogens are dispersed in the air when coughing and sneezing or reach the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose or eyes via the hands. At the same time, it is hard to escape the cold viruses, as they are everywhere in our environment. Especially in wet weather, cold temperatures, stress or lack of sleep, the viruses have an easy game. This is because these factors weaken our immune system so that it cannot respond adequately. Once we have been caught, a bacterial infection is often added to the viral infection.