Upper respiratory tract infections result in an estimated increase of 12.5% in patient visits per month during cold and flu season. In the United Diagnosis. Most people with a common cold can be diagnosed their signs and symptoms. If your doctor suspects you have a bacterial Jump to Patient Handouts - The primary NIH organization for research on Common Cold is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Acute upper respiratory tract infections are extremely common in Informing patients about the self-limited nature of the common cold can help