Viral upper respiratory tract infections, upper respiratory infections, and common colds can be effectively treated by the administration of a combination of a nasal steroid and a nasal antihistamine. By the administration of the combination of a nasal steroid and a nasal antihistamine with the onset of cold symptoms, the histamine cascade and the inflammatory response are impeded or eliminated, reducing the severity, duration, or frequency of the onset of cold symptoms. The combination of a nasal steroid and a nasal antihistamine may be, for example, a physical mixture of the steroid and antihistamine, or it may effectively be a combination wherein the patient is administered one component (either the steroid or the antihistamine) followed by the other, without physical mixing beforehand.