It's unfortunate but true: It's totally normal for adults to get colds multiple times a year .

And each of those colds will tend to follow a similar three-stage pattern , says Dr. Shiv Sudhakar, infectious disease physician and TODAY.com contributing writer.

In the early stages, you might just notice a tickle in the back of your throat, followed by a sore throat and congestion. In the thick of an illness, your symptoms will be at their peak. Then, finally, you get to the recovery stage, when your symptoms begin to dissipate and your energy starts to return.

Throughout those stages, there's one bodily sign that you should pay special attention to: Your nasal mucus holds some of the earliest clues that you have a cold, Sudhakar explained. And your snot might also carry one of the firs

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