Your cold won’t go away
A cold peaks during days three to four. ‘By days five to seven, the symptoms should start to subside,’ says Dr. Miranda. By seven to ten days, you should feel better. If you feel the same or worse, you may have something different, like sinusitis. This condition begins as a cold, but then can turn into a bacterial infection that inflames your sinuses. However, Dr. Massart points out that symptoms have to stick around for more than 14 days to be a true sinus infection, and only at that point will docs consider antibiotics.
Your cough can’t quit you
The hacking just won’t stop: You might have bronchitis, an inflammation of the lungs that can set you up with a cough that lasts five to six weeks, says Dr. Massart. In this case, rest and hydration are necessary. ‘Most of the time bronchitis is viral. You won’t need antibiotics, and it’ll take time to fight off the infection,’ she says.
