The 4 Stages Of A Cold & What To Expect From Each, According To Doctors

A cold is often thought of as one type of sickness, but there are many viruses that can cause one. That being said, there are some common stages that a cold goes through for most people, according to Terrell Smith, M.D., MPH, founding physician at Spora Health. Depending on who you ask, the names of the stages may vary a bit, but the general timeline is the same:

The first stage of a cold is infection, or initial exposure to a cold-causing virus. At this stage, you've come into contact with a pathogen and it has the opportunity to cause a cold, but there are no symptoms present yet. It's possible to be contagious during this stage, but Smith notes that it's not until the appearance of symptoms that you're most contagious. And at this point, you likely don't even know you're on the way to developing a cold.

The next stage is incubation. This is the time between when you get infected and when symptoms start to develop. According to Darria Long Gillespie, M.D., MBA, FACEP, an emergency room physician, this stage typically lasts between 24 and 72 hours (or one to three days). Because you don't present with symptoms here, you're still less likely to spread your developing cold to others, although it is possible.

After the incubation period comes the onset of symptoms, which lasts seven to 10 days on average, with some people experiencing a lingering cough for up to two weeks. Gillespie breaks this stage down further into two sub-stages: early symptoms and peak symptoms.

The early symptomatic stage is characterized by mild discomfort, like a twinge in your throat, some fatigue, and a runny nose. Gillespie notes that during this stage it's difficult to tell whether you have a cold or allergies. "Even harder, this stage is literally indistinguishable from other types of infections, as well," she says. "I have often heard people in the past say when they have symptoms like this 'Don't worry, I'm not contagious' [but] the truth is, they have NO idea. And for the record, once symptoms are present, you're contagious."

After the early symptoms comes the peak. This usually starts a few days from the onset of early symptoms, but Smith says he's seen it take a week or two in some of his patients. During this stage, symptoms progress to a full-blown cold, which may include congestion, body aches, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, and cough. This stage, which lasts about two to three days, is when you're most contagious.

"It is important to keep this in mind because everyone will have different lengths and severity of symptoms," he says. "Other factors like living conditions, financial security, and ability to take time off work for rest all also play into how severe colds are, which is why different populations will suffer from colds longer and more frequently."

Although the cold stages are different, treatment options are pretty similar across the board. "Lots of rest and hydration is the answer at every stage," says Smith. "Symptoms can be treated with over-the-counter cold medicines, and remedies such as tea and honey can help, but there is no medication that will cure a cold." 

Smith adds that a healthy diet and regular exercise (without overexercising, which may actually increase susceptibility to sickness) can also shorten the duration of a cold. However, this needs to be a lifestyle that you live before exposure. Once you're sick, you should prioritize rest over exercise.

There are four stages of the common cold, and going through all of them generally takes about two weeks total, although that timeline can vary from person to person. While it's possible to be contagious during all of your cold's stages, you're most likely to spread it to others when you have active symptoms. No matter the stage, rest, hydration, and supporting your immune system (here's a list of our favorite immune-support supplements!) are of the utmost importance. Some interventions can also keep you comfortable while you recover.