Do You Get Chills With Allergies

How You Can Tell The Difference Between Allergies Cold Flu And Covid

Eyes watering? Runny nose? Feel like your head is locked in an ever-tighter vice?

Sounds like the start of seasonal allergies, maybe a cold or flu . . . but not COVID-19.

To keep anxiety levels down, and reduce the crush on local healthcare during the coronavirus pandemic, its important to know the difference between seasonal allergies or other illness and the more serious COVID-19.

This novel coronavirus causes a respiratory illness manifested by fever, cough and difficulty breathing, said Dr. Virginia Bieluch, the chief of infectious diseases at The Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain.

Pay particular attention to that combination of three symptoms. Less frequently, says the World Health Organization, a COVID-19 infection can produce symptoms similar to the flu like aches and pains, sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion or diarrhea.

Allergies, unlike coronavirus, do not cause a fever and seldom shortness of breath. Yet the sneezing, runny nose, congestion and itchy, watery eyes are more than an inconvenience. Sometimes allergy sufferers dont know whether theyre suffering from seasonal allergies, a nasty cold or even asthma that might require a doctors attention.

A cold usually reveals itself gradually. The flu can hit like an anvil.

Flu symptoms will permeate the entire body, says Dr. Bieluch.

Could It Be Covid

Before we get into the differences between colds and allergies, lets address the most pressing concern of the moment COVID-19. The main symptoms associated with the novel coronavirus behind COVID-19 are cough, fever, and shortness of breath. Shortness of breath is not common in a cold nor a bout of allergies.

COVID-19 may also be accompanied by nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of taste or smell. None of these are typical signs of allergies and colds.

If you do have these COVID-19 symptoms, call us dont come into the office just yet and let us instruct you on the best course of care.

Reaction To Extreme Physical Activity

This response can happen in any type of weather but may be more likely to occur in very cold or very hot temperatures:

• In hot temperatures, heat exhaustion and dehydration may cause this reaction.
• In cold temperatures, hypothermia and dehydration may be the cause.

In both instances, other symptoms you might experience include:

• fatigue
• nausea and vomiting

You can avoid chills from exercise by remaining hydrated and dressing appropriately for your workouts. Consider avoiding exercise during the coldest or hottest times of day and also limiting the duration of time spent in intense activity.

Hydrating and getting your temperature back into a normal range are usually enough to eliminate your symptoms.

In some instances, though, you may require IV fluids to treat the condition.

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Can I Prevent Myself From Getting Allergy Symptoms

In terms of preventing allergic reactions, the first step is to find out what youre allergic to. Doctors who specialize in allergy and immunology can help patients discover what might be causing their specific allergies with skin, patch, and blood tests. For example, sometimes its difficult to know if your allergy trigger is pollen, pets, mold spores, or a combination of different triggers. Once you have an understanding of your allergy trigger, its best to avoid contact with them as much as possible. Depending on the category of allergy that you have, you may want to try the following:

Spring Is Here 5 Things Allergy Sufferers Need To Know

Due to global climate changes, allergists warn that spring allergy season continues to worsen each year. Dr. Jigisha Morosky, an allergist/immunologist with Starling Physicians, addresses the most common questions about seasonal allergies.

How do you know if it is a cold, allergy or COVID?

Sometimes it is difficult for people to determine if sniffles, sneezes, sore throat and coughs are caused by allergies, a cold or even sinusitis. Dr. Morosky explains that nasal allergy symptoms and common cold symptoms are essentially identical. Variables we examine are exposure to an allergen, like pollen or a pet, the duration of symptoms months versus 1 to 2 weeks, and if there is improvement while taking allergy medications.

Spring allergies can cause itchy water eyes, runny nose, scratchy throat, sneezing, coughing and even hives. The symptoms of a cold are often characterized by runny nose, sore throat and cough. Patients with severe seasonal allergies can feel very fatigued and have low grade fever making the distinction even harder.

Acute sinusitis is characterized by a stuffy or runny nose accompanied by pain in the forehead and/or over the cheeks. Often both the common cold and allergies can cause swelling of the nasal passages, which prevent the sinuses from draining, then this can lead to sinusitis. Sinusitis can be treated with antibiotics, however it often recurs if due to uncontrolled allergies.

What are best over the counter methods to treat allergies?

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What Is Your Body Telling You When You Get The Chills

You can expect to get the chills when in a cold environment or if you have a cold or the flu. While chills and fever often come together, they dont necessarily have to.

Chills are brought on by your muscles expanding and contracting its your bodys attempt to burn energy to keep you warm. By themselves, the chills are not an illness, but can signal that an illness might be causing them.

Dr. Scott Carrington, a family medicine physician with Advocate Medical Group, explains that sometimes the chills are the start of an illness and a fever may soon follow. It is very important to monitor this and consult a physician if a fever does present. Sometimes an infectious or systemic illness might bring on the chills, Dr. Carrington says. The infection or illness causes the immune system to shift the bodys temperature upward as a defense mechanism, which conversely results in the sensation of feeling cold.

But the chills arent always accompanied by a fever. According to Dr. Carrington, the most common causes of chills with no fever are:

• Anemia: a common blood disorder
• Anxiety: anxiety disorder is a serious mental illness
• Hypoglycemia: low blood sugar
• Hypothyroidism: thyroid gland is not active enough
• Prescription drugs: chills can be a side effect

Preventing And Responding To Allergies Vs Cold Or Flu

Prevention, of course, is the best cure for allergies, cold, and flu. The best way to prevent allergy symptoms is to avoid the things youre allergic to whenever possible. If that isnt possible, consult your physician about the possibility of allergy prescriptions you can take year-round or when your allergy symptoms are at their worst. Or, you can consider getting antigen therapy for allergies.

For flu and virus, the number one thing you can do is wash your hands. Wash them well and wash them often. Also, avoid being around people who are sick and may transmit the cold or flu to you. If you do develop the flu, stay home so that you do not spread it to others.

Staying home and taking care of yourself is ideal if you have one of these conditions. However, if your symptoms last more than 10 days or if they seem unusual or severe, you should come see us here at Houston ENT & Allergy Services. If you are among the high risk-group mentioned above for flu, you should contact us as soon as you begin to experience symptoms.

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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.

Infection Due To A Kidney Stone

You might get chills because of an infection that starts when you have a kidney stone.

Sometimes minerals and salts stick together to form a hard mass inside your kidney called a kidney stone. This is more likely to happen if you don’t drink enough water each day, eat a diet that’s high in protein, or have a high body mass index

If the kidney stone irritates or blocks your urinary tract, it can cause an infection, which could cause chills.

Other symptoms you might get with kidney stones are:

• Pain in your side, back, belly, or groin
• Pain when you pee
• Pee more or less than you usually do
• Cloudy urine that smells funny

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How To Manage Allergies

Seasonal allergies can be managed in the following ways:

• Learn what the allergens are and reduce or eliminate exposure to them.
• If allergens are from outside sources, keep the windows closed and stay indoors when pollen/mold/weed counts are high.
• Wash hands or shower and change clothing after spending time outside.
• If necessary, treat allergy symptoms with medications such as decongestants, antihistamines, and nasal spray steroids.
• Allergy shots can help desensitize people to specific allergens.
• Wear a pollen mask or dust mask .
• Clean the inside of the nose with saline .
• Use a vaporizer or humidifier.
• Put petroleum jelly on the nose if it becomes irritated.

What Can Cause Allergy Symptoms And Fever

Viral infections can cause a person to develop allergy-like symptoms alongside a fever.

One notable indication that a person has allergies is that allergy symptoms last only as long as people are experiencing an exposure to the allergen. Other causes, such as the flu or common cold, can last much longer.

Additionally, allergies cause a person to experience itchy and watery eyes. This does not typically occur alongside a cold or flu.

Read Also: Allergies Causing Nausea

How Can You Know If Your Chills Are A Symptom Of Covid

It’s tough to say for sure without being tested for COVID-19. “Fever and chills are signs of many infections as well as other things. Some allergic reactions can give you a fever, for example,” Dr. Giordano says.

Also, it’s unlikely you would ~just~ get chills and not have any other symptoms. “Chills usually do not occur by themselves but are part of a constellation with fever, shivering, muscle aches, headache, and other systemic symptoms,” Dr. Sellick says. So, if you have chills a fever, cough, and muscle aches, “COVID-19 certainly would be a consideration, as would influenza at this time of year,” Dr. Sellick says. Basically, you should call your doctor about next steps.

Still, it’s going to be difficult for even your doctor to know what’s going on for sure. “The only way to know if you have COVID is to get a test for COVID,” Dr. Giordano says.

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Signs Your Cold Symptoms Actually Stem From An Allergy

If youre coughing and sneezing and have a sore throat, and youre like most people, youre probably confused about what your symptoms mean. Is it a cold? Allergies? Something worse?

Here at Woodstock Family Practice & Urgent Care, those are some of the most common questions we get. The symptoms of colds and allergies are so similar, its hard to tell the difference.

Dr. James Lee, our experienced family physician, can help you understand the unique aspects of each so you can know whether your cold symptoms are actually allergy symptoms.

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Signs Your Symptoms Aren’t Caused By Allergies

1. Your snot is green. It’s not pretty, and it’s a sign of infection.

2. You have a fever. Hot flashes and chills are symptoms that are never linked to allergies.

3. You feel pain in your cheeks. While allergies can trigger sinus pressure around the eyes and temples, pain that extends through the cheeks and even to the teeth can signal inflammatory build-up that’s common in sinus infections not allergies. And that could require antibiotics to clear up.

4. You have a cough … but that’s not all. “You have to look at the constellation of symptoms because it’s very hard to differentiate between an allergic cough and one caused by post-nasal drip related to a virus,” Dr. Corn explains. So a cough, plus anything else on this list = something more serious than allergies.

5. Congestion + bad breath. Terrible congestion is the hallmark of seasonal allergies, but it can occur for a host of reasons. When paired with smelly breath or a foul taste in the mouth, it’s probably a sign of infection.

If you think you’re sick : See your doctor to rule out an infection that requires antibiotics , strep, and the flu.

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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Differences Between Allergies Cold And Flu

While respiratory symptoms are a common link between the three conditions, there are other symptoms that can help you differentiate between them. The better you understand the differences between allergies and the flu and cold symptoms, as well as your overall symptoms, the more accurately you will be able to pinpoint your condition.

Accurate diagnosis, allows you to take the right medications and/or seek the most appropriate medical care if needed. The primary differences between the three are this: allergies tend to be long lasting well beyond a week and sometimes throughout the year with peaks when certain allergens are more pervasive than other seasons. Colds and flu have many of the same symptoms with flu symptoms coming on more suddenly and severely.

Similarities Between Allergies Colds And Flu

Before we discuss the differences, its a good idea to look at the many things they have in common. That typically begins and ends with the symptoms. These symptoms include a wide range of misery, such as:

• Sniffles

• Sneezing

• Sore Throats

The reason you experience all these symptoms with all three maladies is that each one affects the respiratory system. However, if you treat the symptoms with the wrong type of medication, the National Institutes of Health warns, you might get little, if any relief.

In worst case scenarios, you could make the symptoms worse. This is why its so important to know which condition youre suffering from so you can take the right treatment for your condition and get relief. Its also essential to know whether your symptoms affect you and you alone or if you are contagious and could potentially spread your condition to others.

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Treating The Common Cold

Your body will get rid of the cold virus over time. Since antibiotics only kill bacteria, they wont work on the viruses that cause colds. Still, there are medications that can help relieve your symptoms while a cold runs its course.

Cold remedies include:

• pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen

Cough syrups and OTC medications arent recommended for children under 4 years old, while nasal sprays arent recommended for children under age 6.

Ask your doctor before taking any OTC cold medication, especially if you also take prescription medications, have any existing health conditions, or are pregnant.

Dont use cold medications for a long period of time. Using them for extended periods can cause side effects such as rebound congestion.

You can also try home treatments to relieve a cold, such as:

• drinking more fluids like water, juice, and herbal tea

• loratadine-pseudoephedrine

Decongestants come in pills and nasal sprays. However, nasal decongestants such as oxymetazoline can make your congestion worse if you use them for more than three days in a row.

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.

See related: Is it a cold? Or is it Allergies?

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