No one likes a cold. The sneezing, coughing, stuffy nose and other symptoms are just no fun.

As soon as you start to feel those pesky symptoms approach, you might start thinking to yourself “When is this going to end?”

Well, I have good news, and I have bad news. The bad news is that we’re entering the time of the year when the common cold is, well, more common. This means you’re more likely to ask yourself this question. The good news is that there’s an answer. To find out how long a cold lasts we talked to Dr. Richard Wender, the chair of Family Medicine and Community Health at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

How long does a cold last?

A cold typically lasts seven to 10 days, says Wender. You can expect a certain pattern of symptoms during this time period, according to The Cleveland Clinic. Within three days of exposure to a cold-causing virus, your first symptoms will likely develop. Common early symptoms include sore throat, sneezing and congestion. In the next couple of days, your symptoms typically worsen and start to peak. You may experience symptoms like fatigue or fever. In the last stage, roughly days eight to 10, your cold gradually gets better.

Your cold symptoms may last for longer than 10 days. “We do see people all the time who have symptoms that persist for 14 [days] even out to three, four weeks,” says Wender. However, the extended period is not necessarily a reason to worry. “As long as they …  don’t start getting worse again, they don’t develop a new fever, we just let people ride that out.”

 “That’s just your body working inflammation out, and it’s not a reason for panic,” Wender adds.

How do you get rid of a cold fast

Unfortunately, there is no cure for the common cold. You simply have to let your body fight the virus.

There are measures that you can take to treat symptoms though. Wender emphasizes getting plenty of rest, drinking lots of fluids to prevent dehydration and taking Tylenol. Tylenol is a good general symptom reliever for adults and children.

When is a cold more than just a common cold?

Sometimes the common cold, or an upper respiratory infection as doctors refer to it, can lead to more serious complications. Ear infections, sinus infections and pneumonia are the most common secondary bacterial infections that develop from a cold. You have an increased likelihood of developing one of these infections because congestion allows bacteria to “settle in,” says Wender.

There are warning signs for each kind of infection that you can look out for. “For sinus, particularly, it’s the failure to continue to get better,” explains Wender. For “ears, particularly in an older person but in kids too, it’s usually some signal. If you’re an adult, your ear hurts. It feels congested. And pneumonia may occur right in the peak of the cold. … [The warning sign for pneumonia is that] there will be new symptoms. Rapid breathing in a child is common. In an older person, it may be a deeper cough. A baby could get a new, deeper cough as well.”

Colds might be a pain, but they usually won’t lead to serious issues. “The good news … of the common cold is the vast majority of people get better with no residual effects and they do fine,” says Wender. “It’s just an unpleasant week or so, then life resumes back to normal.”

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