Fighting the common cold isn't easy since there are so many ways to catch it. Americans catch an estimated 1 billion colds each year. "Adults may get two or three colds a year and kids get 8 to 12," said Dr. Jim Grissom, Frederick Memorial Hospital. The common cold can be caught several different ways. "It may come from air droplets, if someone sneezes, or it may come from contact with virus particles on surfaces, like tables, door handles, etc.," continued Dr. Grissom.

Around this time, as weary cold sufferers line up to local pharmacies, it may not sound surprising that Americans spend at least $4.2 billion dollars annually on over the counter cough and cold medications, and even more on alternative therapies. Yet here's the dirty little secret about the common cold: Nothing cures it. Nothing makes it go away faster. "There's little evidence that popular treatments really do much to relieve symptoms. You just have to let it run it's course," Grissom said.