Risk factors for Common Cold

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition. Risk factors for a cold are:

• Being near someone who has a cold
• Touching your nose, mouth, or eyes with contaminated fingers
• Having allergies (lengthens duration of cold)
• Smoking cigarettes or being near cigarette smoke (due to decreased resistance)
• Stress (due to decreased resistance)
• Sex: female (especially around menstrual periods)