One of two things I think. Either the viruses/bacterias you’re prone to catching have that standard course, or you lungs simply are more susceptible than the average person.
My suggestion would be to use decongestants and antihistamines at night when you have a cold to keep the mucous from going into your lungs. Also, try to sleep as upright as possible or on your stomach. Whatever positions helps the mucous not drain from your sinuses right down into your lungs. During waking hours we naturally help prevent it by blowing our nose and coughing. Even swallowing to bring it into our stomach rather than our lungs.
Sorry so gross. Yuck.
If you have signs of bacterial infection I would go for the antibiotics sooner rather than later in your case. Colds, actual virus caused colds, very often start with a sore throat for 48 hours, have a lull for 10–12 hours where you might think you are getting over it, and then the congestion starts. This pattern almost never is a bacteria and antibiotics do nothing.
However, very blocked sinuses, bad taste, bad cough, and especially if you have a slight fever, but you might not have the fever, usually is bacterial. Don’t confuse this with the flu. The flu rarely has congestion, and has a very high fever, often a dry cough, and you can not move out of bed. Literally, it is an incredible effort just to go pee.
Another thing to know is colds and bacterial infections with a cough take about three weeks to get completely rid of the cough once you are already in the mend from antibiotics or the virus being done. This is a very common length of time even for people not to prone these illnesses. Over the course the coughing gets less and less. Usually the last week is coughing just in the middle if night or morning, but can still be severe like a coughing jag.