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What Color Mucus Means a Cold Is Ending?
As your cold progresses, your mucus may thicken and turn from clear to green or yellow.
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When youre getting better, it often turns clear again.
No Fever
For adults, a low fever is sometimes one of the first symptoms of a cold.
It usually lasts only a few days.
Children with a cold may have ahigher feverthan adults.
As you start to recover, the pain should decrease.
You may notice that its easier to move around withoutbody aches.
More Energy
Colds often sap your energy, leaving you lethargic and unlikely to get out of bed.
Congestion or pain might also make eating or sleeping difficult, makingstaying energizedand awake during the day even harder.
This can cause fatigue, drowsiness, andbrain fog.
Decreased Coughing
Coughing, whether with or without phlegm (mucus), is a typical cold symptom.
Even after your cold ends, you maycough at nightfor a few days or weeks.
However, it should decrease over time as you recover.
Which Symptoms Last the Longest?
Colds often beginwith respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, sneezing, and a runny and/or stuffy nose.
A low-grade fever may also appear in the first few days.
Pain, including headaches, a sore throat, and body aches, often follows.
As time goes on and your symptoms taper off, you may notice that your nasal congestion continues.
For some, coughing lingers up to a few weeks after other symptoms have subsided.
A cough is often the last cold symptom to resolve fully.
You might feel exhausted during this phase because of a lower appetite and difficulty sleeping.
For most people, the recovery phase lasts a few days.
If your symptoms persist beyond that or worsen over time, consider contacting a healthcare provider.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About common cold.
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.Common cold.
American Lung Association.Facts about the common cold.
National Health Service.Common cold.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Manage common cold.
