How Long Does the Common Cold Last?

3 min readFeb 21, 2021

How long does the common cold last? This is one question many people ask each year when they find out they have become infected with the common cold.

The answer to this question will vary depending on a lot of factors including your age, gender and your location.
In addition to this factor, you also need to consider whether or not you have had a cold before as this can have an effect on how long it takes to develop.
For example, if you have ever had a cold before then you will usually develop a quicker cold sore than someone who has never had a cold before.

How Long The Common Cold Does Last

If you want to know how long the common cold does last then you should try to figure out the signs and symptoms that you have.
This means figuring out what caused the cold in the first place so that you can prevent it from happening again.
It is important to remember that a cold cannot just ‘go away’ it will need to be treated.
However, it is not always necessary to go to the doctor as there are many simple ways to deal with common colds.
The most common symptom of a cold is the development of a cold sore.
These are typically white in colon and very painful.
As the cold sore develops over time, it will reduce in size and may begin to crack and tear.
However, this process does not happen overnight it can take weeks before the cold sore is fully developed.
A cold sore can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Another factor you need to consider when asking ‘how long does the common cold last’ is the duration of symptoms.
Many people confuse colds with coughs and this is why it can take up to two weeks for a cold to present itself.
The other aspect to consider is the type of cold you have.
In general, if you have a cold then the common cold sore duration is three weeks.
If you have a fever blister then the common cold sore will last longer due to the nature of fever blisters.
A fever blister presents as redness, swelling, tenderness and warmth.
A fever blister is usually seen around the nose or in the mouth but can appear anywhere that there is sebaceous tissue.
The duration of fever blister can last anywhere between two days to two weeks.

If you are suffering with a sore that is not developing or worse, is already developing then you must seek medical attention.
This is because the duration of a cold depends on your immune system and your age.
Your immune system depends on a variety of factors including your diet, whether or not you have exposed yourself to various allergens and the state of your health.
It is important that you remember how long the common cold sore will last so that you do not over treat your cold and therefore make it worse.