The truth: Despite the name, the cold has nothing to do with cold temperatures. The common cold is caused by a virus, and it spreads through the air or by touch — breathing infected air droplets from someone's sneeze or cough or touching an infected surface and then transferring the germs to your mouth or nose. Colds are more common in winter because people tend to be cooped up inside more. So the best way to avoid colds is to wash your hands often and clean surfaces like telephones and stair railings with a disinfectant.

Also, don't waste your money or risk your health by taking antibiotics to treat a cold. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, not viruses. And if you take antibiotics too often or use them for infections not caused by bacteria, bacteria can become resistant — which can make infections harder to treat in the future.

For more information about treating and preventing colds, check out the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Fact Sheet.