Can You Get Sick From Allergies

Do You Have A Cold The Flu Or Allergies

The above table details the symptom differences between all three conditions.

The common symptoms of a cold, flu and allergies are a stuffy or a runny nose, sneezing, a sore throat, a cough, a headache, or even fatigue. Two differing symptoms are a fever or aches/pain, these would not be caused by allergies, but could be due to a cold or the flu. Symptoms of the flu are often more severe than a cold.

While the symptoms are similar, the origin of the conditions are different. A cold and the flu are both caused by different viruses, whereas allergies are caused by your immune system reacting to a trigger. Common inhalant allergy triggers are pollen, dust, mold, pet dander.

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How Can I Prevent Colds And Allergies

To avoid catching a virus and spreading colds:

• Wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes.
• Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth, which are the areas of your body most vulnerable to germs.

To avoid seasonal allergies:

• Try to limit your contact with the allergens you react to.
• If your allergies bother you a lot, immunotherapy may help reduce or even completely prevent irritating symptoms.

Allergy Shots For Children

As early as ages 3, kids can begin to develop seasonal allergies, leaving many parentswondering what is the best treatment? We also get asked often are allergy shots safe forchildren. Yes, they are, but this is something that needs to be discussed with your allergist.Children, like adults, sometimes develop a minor reaction near the site of the injectionimmediately after the allergy shot is given. Simply applying ice to the area and administering anantihistamine can reduce the swelling.

There are rare cases where children can have a more severe reaction, including hives, itchingacross the body, or difficulty breathing. These are less common but can occur. That is why itsbest to consult with your allergy specialist to determine if an allergy shot is appropriate for yourchild.

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Allergy Dos And Don’ts: Smoke

If you needed another reason to quit smoking, here it is: Lighting up can aggravate allergy symptoms. Smoking irritates and can damage the lining of your nasal passages and your lower airways, says Peters. “It can cause symptoms or even worsen symptoms especially if you have lower airway symptoms. But it can cause nasal symptoms as well.”

Weeds And Pollen Become Rampant During Longer Summers

Balmy temperatures let much of the country hit the beach for a few extra weeks each yearbut while your spirits soar, so do ragweed and pollen counts.

Counts usually drop significantly by the first week of September, explains Joseph Leija, M.D., founder of the Gottlieb Allergy Count, which provides the official allergy count for the Midwest. But when it gets rainy, grasses and weeds grow out of control depending on where you live. This can include the following:

• Ragweed
• Lambs-quarters
• Mugwort

More weeds means more pollen, a big cause of hay fever , Dr. Leija explains, which affects up to 60 million Americans each year.

Ragweed in particular seems to wreak havoc between August and November, reaching peak levels in mid-September. Just one ragweed plant can product up to 1 billion pollen grains and it can travel far, especially in the Eastern and Midwestern parts of the country, the AAFA says.

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Where Can I Get My Child Vaccinated For Covid

The COVID-19 vaccine for kids under 12 will be free, just like it is for adults, and will be available in pediatricians’ offices, doctor’s offices, public health clinics and places accessible to children. A good place to start would be calling your pediatrician or local health clinic for a recommendation on where to go.

Parents may also use this vaccine finder link to find a clinic that has the child vaccine available.

How Long Does It Take For Black Mold To Kill You

Black mold, or Stachybotrys atra, has a reputation for being fatal. This is due to reports that black mold was related to infant deaths in the 1990s. Its also been linked to the idea of sick building syndrome and is often called toxic black mold.

But theres no solid evidence proving that black mold is toxic. Black mold, and mold in general, is not deadly.

Still, black mold can cause unwanted side effects, especially those in people who are sensitive to mold. This includes people who are young, old, or have compromised immune systems.

Visit a doctor if you have:

• persistent sinus and nasal congestion
• frequent headaches
• unexplained skin irritation
• more frequent asthma attacks

Sometimes, it can be difficult to know if mold is causing your symptoms. Many side effects of mold exposure are similar to other conditions, like seasonal allergies. Some symptoms also take time to appear.

Your best bet is to see a doctor, even if youre unsure your symptoms are related to mold. They can help you find relief.

The best way to treat mold exposure symptoms is to reduce exposure. Follow these tips:

• Avoid contact with moldy items or surfaces.
• Avoid damp rooms, like basements.
• Remove mold from the home by cleaning surfaces and drying damp areas.
• Increase ventilation by using a fan or opening windows.
• Reduce indoor humidity with a dehumidifier.

The length of time it takes for mold to leave your body will depend on your level of previous exposure.

• a musty, earthy odor

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When Should I Seek Treatment For My Toddler

If you suspect your toddler has a cold, the vast majority of the time you can manage the symptoms at home while your childs cold resolves. Make an appointment to see our team at Valencia Pediatrics if your young childs condition doesnt improve after a couple of weeks or if your toddler develops a high fever.

If you think your toddler might have allergies, its important to make an appointment with Dr. Valencia. Allergy treatment from a pediatrician will allow your child to manage potentially life-disrupting and life-threatening symptoms.

At your appointment, Dr. Valencia performs allergy testing to determine what materials are causing your childs allergies if you arent certain. Then, Dr. Valencia develops a personalized plan to manage your toddlers allergies.

Dr. Valencia, with Micaela Marin-Tucker, PA-C and Megan Reynolds, C-PNP, offers specialized allergy treatment along with general pediatric care to children and adolescents. our office today to schedule allergy testing and management for your child.

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How Long To I Have To Keep Getting My Allergy Shots

There are two phases to allergy shot therapy: a build-up phase and a maintenance phase.

• Build-up phase: In this phase you will start with a low dose injection and build to a higher dose of allergens over time. For typical immunotherapy this phase lasts from 6 to 10 months, depending on how often you get your shots and how well you tolerate them. The build-up phase for venom therapy generally lasts for 10 weeks.
• Maintenance phase: When you reach your effective therapeutic dose you will begin the maintenance phase. During this phase you receive your allergy shots less often, usually every 3 to 4 weeks. The maintenance phase typically lasts 3-5 years .

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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.

What Things Cause Allergies

Common Airborne Allergens

Some of the most common things people are allergic to are airborne :

Common Food Allergens

Up to 2 million, or 8%, of kids in the United States are affected by food allergies. Eight foods account for most of those: cow’s milk, eggs, fish and shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts, soy, and wheat.

Other Common Allergens

• Insect allergy. For most kids, being stung by an insect means swelling, redness, and itching at the site of the bite. But for those with insect venom allergy, an insect sting can cause more serious symptoms.
• Medicines. Antibiotics are the most common type of medicines that cause allergic reactions. Many other others, including over-the-counter medicines , also can cause allergic reactions.
• Chemicals. Some cosmetics or laundry detergents can make people break out in hives. Usually, this is because someone has a reaction to the chemicals in these products, though it may not always be an allergic reaction. Dyes, household cleaners, and pesticides used on lawns or plants also can cause allergic reactions in some people.

Some kids also have what are called cross-reactions. For example, kids who are allergic to birch pollen might have symptoms when they eat an apple because that apple is made up of a protein similar to one in the pollen. And for reasons that aren’t clear, people with a latex allergy are more likely to be allergic to foods like kiwi, chestnuts, avocados, and bananas.

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Reactions To Allergy Shots

Reactions to allergy shots are common. Most reactions are local . Rarely, reactions can affect your entire body. This is referred to as a systemic reaction, and it can be dangerous. For this reason you must stay in our office for 30 minutes following every shot appointment. Additionally, you should not exercise for 2 hours after your shots.

If you are having asthma symptoms when you are scheduled for an allergy shot it is important to tell your nurse. Allergy shots can worsen asthma symptoms.

Do You Have A Cold Or Allergies

WebMD Feature

Do you know how to tell the difference between a cold and allergies? Are you sure?

It’s easy to get them confused. Just ask Paul Ehrlich, MD, a professor of pediatrics at New York University. He’d been an allergist for years when he came down with what he thought was a cold. “I’d had a watery, runny nose for several days when one of my patients took a look at me and said, ‘Oh, you have allergies, too!'” Ehrlich says.

He’d never had allergies before, but a checkup with another doctor confirmed that the patient was right. “Turns out I was allergic to birch trees, which were in bloom at the time,” he says.

A cold is an infection caused by a virus. Allergies are your immune system’s reaction to a substance like pollen or pet dander. Because the two conditions cause similar symptoms, like sniffles and stuffiness, many people get them mixed up. Knowing which is which can help you get the right treatment, and that will help you feel better faster.

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Precautions Against Potential Side Effects

Because exercise can increase blood flow to the bodys tissues, it can also cause allergy extract from the allergy shot to be absorbed into the body faster. For this reason, patients should avoid strenuous exercise for one hour before and two hours after receiving an allergy shot. Additionally, patients should talk to their physician about any other medications or supplements that they may be taking as these may interfere with allergy shot treatment. Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant should also consult their physician with respect to allergy shots. Allergy shots are covered by most insurance plans.

Dr. Jeffrey Hallett administers allergy shots on a walk-in basis during specified hours Monday through Thursday. While appointments are not required, patients are urged to check the Allergy Injection Calendar at www.drhallett.com to view the most up-to-date schedule. Just look for the button that says Calendar.

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Things To Try If Your Allergies Are Worse Than Ever This Year

If youre really feeling it this allergy season, well, gesundheit. From sneezing to congestion to itchy eyeballs to a relentless runny nose, there are plenty of signs that allergy season is upon us and youre unfortunately one of its victims.

There are a host of factors that affect the strength allergy season not just from year to year, but from day to day, saidLuz Fonacier, an allergist and immunologist and president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Among these factors are climate change, rainfall and even wind.

Since so many factors contribute to high pollen counts, its all but impossible to predict how intense an allergy season will be, Fonacier told HuffPost. In addition to taking steps to limit your exposure to allergens that affect you, seeing an allergist before the season starts can also help ensure you find relief.

For many, the last few weeks have been miserable. Before reaching for over-the-counter allergy relief, its important to get a diagnosis, Fonacier said. An allergist has advanced training and experience to properly diagnose your condition, identify your triggers and prescribe an allergy treatment and management plan to help you feel better and live better.

So on your next trip to the pharmacy, be ready. The following tips and items may help mitigate the many annoyances that come with seasonal allergies, so they might be worth a try.

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Is It Allergies Or Are You Sick

When you suddenly start to sneeze, you may wonder if your allergies are acting upor if you’re actually getting sick, as the difference is often hard to tell. Allergies and illness both occur when your immune system reacts to a foreign invader. As a result, both conditions can have many of the same symptoms, but there are some telltale differences.

For instance, an allergy and a cold can cause a sore throat, sneezing, and runny nose. But a cold may also cause an elevated body temperature, a headache and achiness. In addition, a cold may last for a week or 10 days, while allergies exist for as long as you are exposed to the allergen. In many cases, this means that the allergy symptoms can linger for weeks on end.

What Do Allergy Shots Treat

Allergy shots are an extremely effective treatment for allergies and asthma. The allergy and asthma specialists at The Asthma Center use allergy shots injections to treat allergic patients who have moderate to severe symptoms of upper respiratory allergies, allergic asthma, or insect sting reactions not adequately controlled by environmental avoidance or medications.

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It’s Probably Allergies If:

Your mucus is clear or watery. And it will stay clear, instead of becoming thick or discolored like it can with a cold, says Michael Benninger, MD, an ear, nose, and throat specialist at the Cleveland Clinic.

Your eyes are itchy or watery. It’s rare to have itchy eyes when you have a cold.

Your symptoms stay the same. “Allergies may feel extra intense for the first day or 2, but you’ll have the same symptoms day after day,” Benninger says.

You’ve had the sniffles for more than a week. A cold usually clears up in 7 to 10 days, but allergies can last several weeks or longer.

Your symptoms show up only in certain situations. Find yourself sneezing every spring or fall? Those are common times for allergies. Another allergy tip-off: Being in a specific place makes you feel miserable — for example, in a house with a cat.

Can You Get A Rash From Mold

Rashes From Mold and 5 Other Surprising Symptoms of Mold Poisoning

• 5 Signs of Mold Exposure and Recommended Treatments. Just a little bit of mold hiding in crawl spaces or lurking in closets can make you miserable.
• Symptoms of Toxic Mold Exposure. The effects of exposure to toxic black mold can become very serious.
• Positive Ways to Take Control.
• Dont Take Chances.

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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.

Whats The Difference Between Having Allergies And Getting Sick

The big distinction between having allergies and being sick is that you canât actually give anyone your allergies â but you can give them your cold. âAllergies are not contagious and, while annoying, are usually harmless,â Dr. Jain says. âHowever, most viruses and bacteria illnesses are contagious.â

To try and detect a difference, pay attention to certain key symptoms. âIf you have a fever or swollen lymph nodes, it is likely an infection,â says Dr. Tania Elliott, M.D., a clinical instructor of medicine and immunology at NYU Langone. Itâs also about when symptoms start. âAllergies come the same time every year and are worse when you are exposed to an allergen ,â she explains. Youâll want to pay attention to how long your symptoms last, too. Allergies will stick around for a few months, Dr. Elliott says, while upper respiratory infections typically wonât stick around longer than a week or two.

If you have itchy or watery eyes, clear mucus, a runny nose for more than a week, and your symptoms are consistent each day, you’re likely dealing with allergies, which can usually be relieved with over-the-counter allergy medications. Allergy symptoms generally stay the same, whereas cold symptoms tend to intensify and peak before they ultimately subside.

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