A cold with a runny nose is in its early stages. Colds are divided into three stages: the early stage of cold, the infection stage and the recovery stage. 1. Early stage of cold: generally the first 2 days of cold, this period can have sneezing, nasal congestion, nasal discharge, itching throat, nasopharyngeal discomfort and other symptoms. 2. Infection period: 2 to 4 days after the cold, this period may have fever, chills, sore throat, headache, dizziness, general joint or muscle pain, cough, cough and so on. 3. Recovery period: cold symptoms are relieved or even disappear. The main manifestations are a little cough, nasal congestion, loss of appetite and other symptoms. General colds are viral infections and are self-limiting, with a natural course of 5-7 days. During a cold, you should pay attention to a light diet and get plenty of rest. Severe colds or patients with low immunity can progress to pharyngitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis and bronchial, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases. It is recommended to seek medical attention for severe cold symptoms.