Symptom: Cold-like symptoms

Introduction: Cold-like symptoms

Further information about Cold-like symptoms is below, or review more specific information about these types of Cold-like symptoms: runny nose, stuffed nose, sneezing, Upper respiratory infection, Acute cough, Acute sinusitis, Allergic Rhinitis, Increased chest phlegm or other types.

Everyone is familiar with the stuffy nose, sore throat, and cough from a common cold. This section focuses on symptoms similar to a runny nose; see also other sections on sore throat, cough, and headache. For comparison see the list of conditions with flu-like symptoms.

Although a cold or other upper respiratory infection is most common, there are several other possibilities. This list includes flu, allergic rhinitis (either perennial rhinitis or seasonal rhinitis), chronic rhinitis, sinusitis, otisis media, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Cold-like symptoms can also be the start of other conditions such as whooping cough, measles, mumps, or mononucleosis.

» Review Causes of Cold-like symptoms: full list

Causes of Cold-like symptoms:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Cold-like symptoms. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Common cold
• Flu
• Parainfluenza
• Respiratory syncytial virus
• Allergies
• Allergic reaction
• Hay fever
• Allergic rhinitis
• Whooping cough
• Sinusitis
• Nasal polyps
• Nasal foreign body
• Nasal tumor
• Brain injury - causing nasal leakage of CSF
• Other causes of runny nose
• stuffy nose or cold-like symptoms
• Hemorrhage

See full list of 111 causes of Cold-like symptoms

» Review Causes of Cold-like symptoms: full list

Causes of Types of Cold-like symptoms:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Cold-like symptoms:

• Runny nose (151 causes)
• Stuffed nose (107 causes)
• Sneezing (44 causes)
• Upper respiratory infection (3 causes)
• Acute cough (8 causes)
• Acute sinusitis (6 causes)
• Allergic Rhinitis (16 causes)
• Increased chest phlegm
• Nasal Obstruction (72 causes)
• Nasal congestion (28 causes)
• Nasal allergies
• Hay fever (3 causes)
• Profuse watery nasal discharge (2 causes)

More types of Cold-like symptoms

Cold-like symptoms: Multiple Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Cold-like symptoms, as listed in our database. Visit the Multiple Symptoms Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms

• Cold-like symptoms: Multiple Symptom Checker

Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations

• Cold-like symptoms and Head symptoms (96 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Runny nose (94 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Face symptoms (93 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Nose symptoms (93 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Stuffed nose (91 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Discharge (84 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Mucus symptoms (84 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Nerve symptoms (74 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Pain (74 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Sensations (74 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Respiratory symptoms (71 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Fever (55 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Breathing symptoms (54 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Breath symptoms (52 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Throat symptoms (50 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Breathing difficulties (48 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Lung symptoms (48 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Temperature symptoms (48 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Cough (47 causes)
• Cold-like symptoms and Headache (45 causes)

See full list of 905 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Cold-like symptoms

Home Diagnostic Testing and Cold-like symptoms

Home medical tests possibly related to Cold-like symptoms:

• Cold & Flu: Home Testing:
  • Home Fever Tests
  • Home Ear Infection Tests
  • Home Flu Tests

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Chills (318 causes)
• Fever (1218 causes)
• Sweat symptoms (548 causes)
• Common symptoms (4555 causes)
• Temperature symptoms (1021 causes)
• Sick (3141 causes)

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Cold-like symptoms

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Cold-like symptoms:

• Respiratory symptoms (1879 causes)
• Lung symptoms (625 causes)
• Fever (1218 causes)
• Flu-like symptoms (64 causes)
• Sore throat (237 causes)
• Cough (441 causes)

Diagnostic Guides for Cold-like symptoms

Medical Books Excerpts Read excerpts from published book sections related to Cold-like symptoms from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Cold-like symptoms. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Cold-like symptoms

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Misdiagnosis and Cold-like symptoms

Sinusitis is overdiagnosed: There is a tendency to give a diagnosis of sinusitis, when the condition is really a harmless complication of another infection, such as a common cold....read more »

Whooping cough often undiagnosed: Although most children in the Western world have been immunized against whooping cough (also called "pertussis"), this protection wears...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Cold-like symptoms

Diagnostic tests for Cold-like symptoms:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Cold-like symptoms. Some of these are listed below :

• Physical examination
  • General appearance - jaundice may suggest viral hepatitis, gallstones, ascending cholangitis or cholecystitis.
  • Neck stiffness may suggest meningitis or encephalitis
  • Temperature - Fever with cold - like symptoms can be due to infection; malignant disease; metabolic disorders e.g. gout; blood disorders e.g. hemolytic anemia; vascular disorders e.g. stroke, brain hemorrhage; immunological disorders e.g. lupus.
  • Ears, nose and throat examination looking for signs of sinusitis, tonsillitis, middle ear infection and mononucleosis

See full list of 41 diagnostic tests for Cold-like symptoms

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Cold-like symptoms. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• How long have you had the cold-like symptoms? - to determine if acute or chronic.
• If cold-like symptoms are associated with a fever, what is the pattern of the fever and chills? - e.g. intermittent fever of malaria, Epstein-Barr virus and ascending cholangitis; continuous fever is common with viral infections such as influenza; remittent fever where temperature returns towards normal for a variable period but is always elevated may occur with pelvic abscess, wound infection and cancer; undulant fever where bouts of fever for several days are followed by several days of normal temperature occur with brucellosis infection and lymphomas.
• Travel history? - overseas travelers or visitors may have special or even exotic infections.
• Past medical history? - e.g. AIDS, Rheumatic fever, pneumonia, immunodeficiency, cancer.
• Recent surgery? - may suggest post-operative complication e.g. wound infection, aspiration pneumonia, lung collapse, urinary catheter related urinary tract infection, intra-abdominal abscess.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Cold-like symptoms (15 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Cold-like symptoms) may include:

• Symptoms of the common cold? - e.g. tiredness, sore runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, slight fever; sometimes headache, hoarseness and cough.
• Symptoms of influenza? - e.g. fever, chills, headache, generalized muscle aches and pains followed by sore throat, dry cough and runny nose.
• Symptoms of sinusitis? - e.g. facial pain and tenderness, toothache, postnasal drip, nasal obstruction, runny nose, cough and fever.
• Frequency and burning of urine? - would suggest pyelonephritis, abscess around the kidney or abscess in the prostate.
• Cough? - may suggest common cold, influenza, sinusitis, pneumonia, lung abscess, bronchiectasis or tuberculosis.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Cold-like symptoms (15 listings)

Stories from Users for Cold-like symptoms

Real-life user stories relating to Cold-like symptoms:

• Chronic cough - Throat irritation
• please help! i keep getting worse by the minute
• Cold????
• Always cold.
• Coughing up phlegm
• Water dripping from nose, not sick
• Freezing cold?
• coughing phlegm
• I'm Cold.
• mucus cough
• constantly coughing up phlegm
• So Cold!
• Moved to China, weird cold like symtoms persisting over a month.
• Cold sperm
• excess mucus/ coughing and wheezing
• why do i keep getting obstrucions\illeus's
• mucus mucus from nose and chest(edited)
• Inhaling Through Mouth Instead Of Nose
• I keep getting new symptoms... Cont.
• Coughing. Phlegm, and Running

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Cold-like symptoms or relevant symptoms:

• Eyes (218)
  • Sudden blackout in vision??
  • Halo around the streetlights, glaucoma or something else?
  • Flashers, floaters, and more
  • Seeing spots
  • Flashes of almost lightning type light with sound
  • More user stories
• ENMT (Ears, Nose, Mouth and Throat) (275)
  • Swelling in roof of mouth
  • Pain on one side of throat
  • Please help! Mucus/dark circles/bad breath...
  • Painful white bumps on tongue
  • Sinus headache & eye area pain
  • More user stories
• Respiratory (Lungs and Breathing) (136)
  • Chlorine/ammonia odor when I breathe
  • Chest Pain/Pain While Breathing
  • Clearing throat cough and breathing difficulties
  • Chest discomfort
  • Unable to get diagnosis....please help!
  • More user stories
• Musculoskeletal (Muscles, joints and bones) (405)
  • Joint and muscular pain after taking chantix
  • Arm pain after sneezing
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Joint swelling, stiffness, severe foot pain
  • Muscle twitches/spasms
  • More user stories
• Allergic/Immunologic (88)
  • Chronic hives
  • Spontaneous flushing and redness of face and body.
  • Non-stop itching, no rash
  • Swelling & itching
  • Problems with my scalp can anyone help me
  • More user stories

Videos for Cold-like symptoms

Patient Surveys for Cold-like symptoms

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about diseases related to your Cold-like symptoms
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Causes of Cold-like symptoms listed in Disease Database:

Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible causes of Cold-like symptoms as a symptom include:

• Adenovirus
• Coronavirus 229E, Human
• Coronavirus OC43, Human
• Human metapneumovirus
• Parainfluenza
• Respiratory syncytial virus
• Rhinovirus

See full list of 111 causes of Cold-like symptoms
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Article Excerpts about Cold-like symptoms

Sneezing, scratchy throat, runny nose – everyone knows the first signs of a cold, probably the most common illness known. Although the common cold is usually mild, with symptoms lasting one to two weeks, it is a leading cause of doctor visits and of school and job absenteeism. (Source: excerpt from The Common Cold, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

Definitions of Cold-like symptoms:

Catarrhal disorder of the upper respiratory tract, which may be viral or a mixed infection; marked by acute coryza, slight rise in temperature, chilly sensations, and general indisposition.
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Organs affected by Cold-like symptoms:

The list of organs typically affected by Cold-like symptoms may include, but is not limited to:

• General constitutional
• Head
• Lungs
• Sinuses

Detailed list of causes of Cold-like symptoms

The list below shows some of the causes of Cold-like symptoms mentioned in various sources:

• stuffy nose or cold-like symptoms
• Acute Bronchitis - cold-like symptoms
• Addiction - nasal congestion
• Adenoiditis - blocked nose
• Adenoviridae Infections - runny nose

See full list of 111 causes of Cold-like symptoms

How Common are these Causes of Cold-like symptoms?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Cold-like symptoms. Of the 111 causes of Cold-like symptoms that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 10 causes are "very common" diseases
• 1 causes are "common" diseases
• 3 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 1 causes are "rare" diseases
• 7 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 96 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 111 causes of Cold-like symptoms

Conditions listing symptoms: Cold-like symptoms:

The following list of conditions have 'Cold-like symptoms' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Causes of Cold-like symptoms Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Cold-like symptoms based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient: