A cold is a common and typically harmless viral infection of the nose, throat, airways and sinuses. With rest it usually clears up on its own within a week or so. The main symptoms you may experience are a sore throat, coughs and sneezes, pressure in your face and ears, loss of taste and smell and a blocked (congested) or runny nose. More severe symptoms can include a fever (high temperature), headache and muscle aches, which tend to be associated with flu.