Start With Some Home Remedies For Cold And Allergy Symptoms
When you start feeling icky, some simple home remedies can provide temporary relief. For starters, try to get more rest. Both allergies and colds can cause tiredness, so listen to your body and take it easy.
Also, take advantage of saltwater to soothe irritated nasal passages and scratchy or sore throats.
For your nose, use a neti pot. A neti pot can be picked up at any local drugstore or online, and typically comes with packets to mix with warm, distilled water to create a saltwater solution to pour through your nasal passages.
For your throat, simply mix a quarter or half teaspoon of table salt into an 8-ounce glass of warm water. Take a sip and gargle for a few seconds like you would with mouthwash. Then spit and repeat until the solution is gone. You can do this a couple times a day.
How Can You Tell The Difference Between A Cold And Allergies
Both allergies and viral infections can cause symptoms like a sore throat, runny nose, headaches, and congestion. So how can you tell whats actually making you feel crummy?
How your symptoms begin are often a big clue: Colds tend to creep up slowly, while allergy symptoms usually flare up shortly after youre exposed to an allergen, per the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. If you start to notice itching, stuffiness, or an annoying tickle in the back of your throat after spending some time outside, for instance, youre probably dealing with allergies.
Other clues to watch for: If your sore throat tends to get worse or makes it hard to swallow, or you develop a fever, chills, or body aches, youre probably dealing with a cold or infection, Dr. Mehdizadeh says. If your allergy medications dont seem to be helping, thats also a sign it could be a cold, flu, COVID-19, or something else.
The bad news? Colds and allergies can exist at the same time, Dr. Reisacher says. So if you cant figure out what youre dealing with, talk with your doctor.
How Can I Prevent Allergies
Preventing allergies means avoiding the things that trigger them. For seasonal allergy sufferers, that means the great outdoors.
- Stay inside when possible.
- Use air-conditioning when possible.
- Use high-efficiency air filters.
- Monitor allergen counts in your community and take allergy medication when the readings are high, even before symptoms start.;
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Socan Allergies Cause Coughing Give It To Me Straight
In short, yes. Usually, create dry coughs . If thats the case, youll likely have other symptoms . Headaches and wheezing often come with allergies, too, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
Timings also a factor. If youre allergic to pollen , for example, youll likely notice symptoms almost immediately, or within an hour of being exposed. And those symptoms could last for hours after youve been exposedeven after the allergen isnt nearby anymore.
Coughs related to allergies are also dependent on patterns, so doctors always try to look at the big picture. Say you get a cough every single March. That could be a sign youre actually suffering from allergies, instead of the common cold. You need to look at everything thats going on, says Paul Bryson, MD, an otolaryngologist at the Cleveland Clinic.
Your best defense for a cough from allergies? Antihistamines like Allegra, Claritin, and Zyrtec, which are all available over-the-counter. Other options include steroid nasal sprays and immunotherapy shots, which can work to regulate your bodys response to allergens, instead of just relieving the symptoms.
Get Your Allergies Under Control
Schedule an appointment with your doctor if youre experiencing persistent coughing that you suspect may be related to allergies. Your doctor will perform a physical examination, ask questions about your medical history and may recommend allergy testing to determine what substances are triggering your cough.
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Take the medications your doctor prescribes. Your treatment plan may include an antihistamine to reduce stuffiness, a decongestant to help dry up mucus and possibly a prescription or over-the-counter cough medicine. If you have allergic asthma, take your asthma medicines as prescribed.
Follow up with your doctor if she recommends immunotherapy, commonly called allergy shots. This treatment decreases your sensitivity to allergy triggers and, over time, can reduce your symptoms, including persistent coughing.
- Schedule an appointment with your doctor if youre experiencing persistent coughing that you suspect may be related to allergies.
- This treatment decreases your sensitivity to allergy triggers and, over time, can reduce your symptoms, including persistent coughing.
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Sore Throat And Ear Pain: Whats Causing The Discomfort
Sore throat and ear pain can bring your day to a grinding halt. The discomfort can become unbearable quickly. Because of that, figuring out whats causing those conditions and getting them treated fast is a must.
Some of the underlying causes of sore throat and ear pain can be very serious, but others can be treated from home. Thats why its important to be able to realize when you can deal with it and when you need to get to the doctors office.
Can Allergies Cause Fever
The short answer is allergies dont cause fever.; But, allergy symptoms can make you more vulnerable to a viral or bacterial infection, which can lead to a fever. So, its common to blame a fever on your allergies, even though technically that isnt the cause.
Allergies are caused when your immune system overreacts to common things in the environment such as tree and grass pollen of common dust mites in your home. The typical allergy symptoms most people experience include:
- Coughing
- Diarrhea or nausea are common if you have food allergies
- Headache or sinus pain
- Wheezing or asthma
If you have a fever, body aches, and a sore throat, its likely caused by a viral infection from a cold or flu.
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Can A Cold Or Flu Cause Allergies
An allergy is an inflammatory immune response to specific foods or something in the environment, known as an allergen. Colds and flu are caused by viruses or bacteria. Therefore, a cold or flu cannot cause an allergy.
Sometimes, allergies can lead to a sinus infection, which may develop into a fever. Sinus infections are the result of excess mucus and debris getting trapped in the air-filled sinus passages. However, the infection develops due to the bacteria or viruses present rather than the allergens.
Knowing what a person is allergic to can help in treating the allergies. A person can be allergic to several allergens at once. Some of the key steps to reducing allergy symptoms include:
A person with severe allergies may benefit from immunotherapy. This approach involves injecting increasing amounts of allergens in the body to de-sensitize the bodys immune response. A doctor must prescribe these injections.
Allergies Rarely Cause Sore Throats Or Body Aches
The only ache you may feel with allergies is a headache from all that congestion. Your throat may also feel dry or scratching. But if youre experiencing a sore throat or mild body aches, theyre more likely a sign of a bad cold.
Can allergies cause chills? No. If you have chills, its more likely you have a cold, the flu or another infection .
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Ways To Manage Seasonal Allergies At Home
- Have your child wear a hat and sunglasses to prevent pollen from getting in their eyes.
- Remove your childs clothes as soon as they come indoors and wash them to remove allergens.
- Leave shoes at the door so your family doesnt track allergens through your home.
- Wash your childs hands and face as soon as they come in from the outdoors.;
Allergies Follow A Pattern And Symptoms Tend To Stick Around Longer
If you have allergies, your symptoms will flare up at certain times throughout the year when the allergens youre sensitive to are present. For example, if you have a tree pollen allergy, your symptoms will first appear in the early spring.
This also means that your symptoms can last for several weeks until that particular allergy season has ended. To put that into perspective, colds usually only last about a week.
Cold viruses are present all year, so you can catch one at any time. However, the winter cold season is when getting sick is more likely.
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Soothing A Sore Throat At Home
Here are several home remedies that may help soothe a sore throat from allergies, according to Harvard Medical School:
- Stay well-hydrated to help to thin the mucus.
- Consume more hot liquids, such as chicken soup.
- Use a humidifier or inhale steam.
- Prop yourself up with a few extra pillows at night, since mucus can collect in the back of your throat when you lie flat.
There are also many over-the-counter medications available, including oral decongestants and antihistamines. Nasal decongestants may also be helpful, though Harvard Medical School cautions that they shouldn’t be used for more than one to two days. For help choosing the most appropriate product, talk to your doctor or a pharmacist.
While these steps can help soothe a sore throat from allergies, they won’t prevent future allergy symptoms. Pollen, whether from grass, trees or ragweed, is a common culprit of seasonal allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, so avoiding exposure to it can help. The Mayo Clinic recommends staying indoors on dry, windy days and, if possible, keeping your doors and windows closed on days with high pollen counts. If you need to do outdoor chores, such as lawn mowing or weed pulling, wear a pollen mask.
What Is Allergic Rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis is an allergic reaction to tiny particles in the air called allergens. When you breathe in allergens through your nose or mouth, your body reacts by releasing a natural chemical called histamine. Several indoor and outdoor allergens cause hay fever. Common causes include dust mites, mold, pet dander and pollen from trees and plants.
Symptoms of hay fever include sneezing, nasal congestion and irritation of the nose, throat, mouth and eyes. Allergic rhinitis is not the same as infectious rhinitis, otherwise known as the common cold. Hay fever is not contagious.
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Can We Tell Them Apart
Fever, sore muscles or muscle weakness
Hayfever, despite its name, does not cause increased body temperature. Flu-like illnesses do cause fever, and sore muscles , malaise and fatigue.
Allergies such as hayfever may cause a slight malaise without the other symptoms, probably due to a stuffy nose and poor sleep.
Snoring, dark circles under the eyes and sleep
The nasal congestion from hayfever and other types of rhinitis often increases the potential to snore during sleep. And if you have those dark circles under the eyes, thats likely down to chronic poor-quality sleep, as nasal congestion and snoring worsen.
Itchy nose and eyes, plus sneezing
An itchy nose and eyes are classic hayfever symptoms, as is intense, prolonged sneezing.
You can sneeze with a cold or flu, but usually only in the first few days of the infection.
Longer-lasting symptoms
Allergic reactions tend to come and go from day to day, or even from hour to hour, particularly if some environments are the source of the offending allergens. Perennial rhinitis can be present for weeks or months, far longer than any viral cold or flu.
It is rare for a cold to last more than a week, as the body has fought off the virus by that time. Exceptions to this are the cough and sinus symptoms that were triggered by the virus but persist for other reasons.
Antihistamines
Read more:Coronavirus or just a common cold? What to do when your child gets sick this winter
What Is The Outlook For People Who Have Hay Fever
Hay fever can make you feel miserable, but it doesnt cause serious health problems. Most people with hay fever manage symptoms with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medication.
People with airborne allergies have a higher risk of ear infections and sinus infections. Because hay fever can make it tough to get a good nights sleep, you may feel tired during the day. If you have asthma, hay fever can make your asthma symptoms worse.
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Know Your Paths To Care
Were here to help you get better quickly, with tools and information for self-care and convenient options for visits or advice when you need it. Easy ways to get help for your cold or allergy symptoms include:
- Consulting Nurse Service: Call a nurse, who will assess your symptoms and recommend treatments or other next steps. Available 24/7.
- Online visit: Complete a questionnaire about your symptoms. A clinician will provide a diagnosis, treatment plan and, if needed, a prescription without a trip to your doctors office.
- CareClinic by Kaiser Permanente at Bartell Drugs:Walk in for care at 15 Puget Sound Bartell Drugs locations. Open 7 days a week with evening and weekend hours.
Should You Have Your Tonsils Removed
These days, its not as common for tonsils to be removed. Removal will only be considered if there are frequent bouts of pustular tonsillitis that require antibioticssay, five or more attacks in one year, says Dr. Morrison, especially if the infections dont get better with treatment or theyre getting in the way of daily activities. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist, who will ultimately make the final decision regarding surgery.
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Allergens And Their Effects
Postnasal drip is the main culprit in cases of allergy-induced sore throat.
Its the result of exposure to an allergen and occurs when congestion in the nose and sinuses drains down to the throat. This causes tickling or scratchy pain.
The drainage also can cause:
- coughing
- runny nose
- coughing
If you have a sore throat with fever and body aches, its likely the result of a viral infection, such as the cold or flu.
Scratchiness is another way to determine if you have an allergy-induced sore throat.
In addition to the raw feeling that results from postnasal drainage, particles that directly enter the respiratory system can cause an itchy or scratchy feeling.
Treating Your Allergies With Immunotherapy
For many patients, these measures are not enough to provide relief for their allergy symptoms. Allergen immunotherapy prescribed by Center for Allergy and Asthma of Georgia, can reduce allergy symptoms and any associated sinus or ear infections 80-90%. Consult with one of our Center for Allergy and Asthma of Georgia specialists. to find the treatment plan right for you.
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Allergies To Mold And Mildew
Like pollen, mold and/or mildew can also cause a sore, scratchy throat. Typical reactions to a mold or mildew allergen are swollen nasal cavities, itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, and a cough. The runny nose is part of the sore throat, as is the coughing: both feed on the other. More severe cases will result in fatigue and sinus pressure. Mold and mildew can be found in older homes, bathrooms, and in grassy fields at the change of the season, so be prepared.
Cough Cough Sneeze Sniffle: Allergies Or Covid
If youre an sufferer, the arrival of warmer days not only signals the coming of spring, but it also means the onset of runny noses, sneezing and sniffles. If you havent already, youve probably found yourself asking, how do I know for certain if my symptoms are due to allergies or COVID-19?;
It can be a tricky question, says Christie Barnes, MD, Nebraska Medicine otolaryngologist. The key is to determine whether you are having additional symptoms on top of your normal allergy symptoms.
This Q&A answers common questions you may have this fall as you manage your allergies and concerns about COVID-19.;
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Some Of The Symptoms Of Hay Fever Could Also Be Present In Coronavirus Including A Loss Of Smell Headache Blocked Nose And Generally Feeling Unwell
As the weather gets warmer, it signals the start of hay fever season, but this year once again it also coincides with Covid-19.
The symptoms of both hay fever and Covid-19 can overlap, so its important to understand the differences.
Heres what you need to know about hay fever symptoms, as summer gets under way.
How To Treat A Sore Throat Caused By Allergies
Allergy meds are usually the best place to start. Antihistamines, like Claritin, Zyrtec, or Benadryl, can help tame inflammation and ease your symptoms overall, Dr. Mehdizadeh says. Nasal sprays, like ipratropium, and nasal glucocorticoids, like fluticasone, are good for easing postnasal drip, too.
Natural remedies could also make a difference. Gargling with warm saltwater can help get rid of irritating mucus, and drinking plenty of water or inhaling steam may soothe scratchiness.
Of course, prevention might be the most effective tactic of all. Minimizing your exposure to allergenssay, by keeping your windows closed and showering as soon as you come inside after being outdoorscan keep your symptoms from flaring up and help stop that sore throat before it starts.
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Are There Conventional Medicines To Help Me
Initially, a doctor or pharmacist is likely to recommend anti-histamines to help to ease all symptoms of seasonal allergies and a nasal decongestant to help clear the Eustachian tubes. However, if your earache persists, they may check for signs of infection. If this is the case, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or drops.
