Common Cold Symptoms 2024 Symptoms. For a regular cold, symptoms tend to peak within the first few days after they start. But symptoms of a common cold usually appear 1 to 3 days after exposure to a cold.

However, some symptoms, especially a runny or stuffy nose or cough, can last up. Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that spread easily from person to person.