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How To Tell Between Allergies And A Cold

When Symptoms Hit: Allergies

How to tell the difference between COVID-19, flu, allergies and the common cold

While your cold might seem worse in the morning or night, you pretty much struggle all day long. Allergies are more linked to place: Allergy to cats or dogs, for example, are typically apparent because they only occur when around the animals or their dander, explains Gary Gross, MD, an allergist-immunologist at Texas Health Dallas. If someone walks into a house with a cat and starts sneezing, an individual should suspect an allergy to cat dander. Additionally, you may notice an increase in symptoms when youre outdoor versus indoor, since grass, pollen, and weeds in the air may heighten exposure to seasonal allergies.

Allergies Usually Do Not Cause Wet Coughs

While coughing is often a symptom of both allergies and colds, the type of cough for each is different. A cold cough is wet and hacking, and typically produces mucus or phlegm that gets progressively thicker, often taking on a green or yellow tinge.

Allergies can cause a cough that feels like you have a tickle in your throat. Thats because allergens often irritate the lining of your nose, which triggers your nasal passages to create a watery mucus. This can drip out of your nose and down the back of your throat, creating that tickling sensation. This is referred to as post-nasal drip.

If You Think You Have Allergies Get Tested

If you think you have an allergy, you can get tested with a skin or blood test, Dr. Hur says.

The allergist will do a blood test and/or prick your skin with different substances that may be allergens and note how your body reacts.

Once your doctor has confirmed the allergy, you may be directed to take antihistamines or be given prescription medication. If you have hay fever , allergy shots may desensitize you to it.

Whether you have a cold or an allergy, knowing which is which will help you treat it appropriately and relieve your symptoms more quickly.

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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.

It’s Probably Allergies If:

Allergies vs. Cold? Here

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.

Read Also: Does Wearing A Mask Outside Help With Allergies

A Sore Throat: A Cold

One of the best ways to tell the difference between allergies and colds is the presence or absence of a sore throat. Colds are viruses that affect the upper airway, Dr. Tong explains. The virus can spread to the entire respiratory system including the throat, causing soreness. However, allergies are more associated with a raw feeling in the back of the throat rather than painful soreness.

Common Symptoms Of Colds Sinus Infections And Allergies

Many people have been told that the following symptoms are signs of a bacterial sinus infection as opposed to a cold:

  • Facial pain and headache
  • Discolored mucus or sinus drainage
  • Severe nasal congestion

But in reality, these symptoms dont help us distinguish one condition from the other, at least in the first week to 10 days. Generally speaking, all of the classic symptoms of a sinus infection can be present in a cold.

If youve had these symptoms for fewer than seven to 10 days, theyre almost certainly signs of a cold virus. When people have these symptoms for more than seven to 10 days without improvement, thats when we start thinking it might be a bacterial sinus infection. It is also very unusual for a cold, or other viral upper respiratory illness, to worsen after five days. This suggests a transition to a bacterial process. This is important because antibiotics should only be used when a bacterial process is suspected.

The symptoms of allergies dont normally include fever or a lot of discolored sinus drainage. Classic allergy symptoms may include:

  • Scratchy or low-grade sore throat

Some of these are similar to cold or sinus symptoms. The difference is that allergy symptoms dont follow the course of a cold, which runs through its symptoms as the cold progresses. Allergy symptoms are more consistent than cold symptoms. There is often a pattern to the symptoms related to a change in the indoor or outdoor environment .

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Seasonal Allergies Vs Cold

Allergies and a cold share many symptoms runny nose, cough, congestion. What are the main differences to help tell them apart? The physicians at AFC Urgent Care Waltham can help diagnose any upper or lower respiratory illness you may have. From there, treatment will be provided to help you feel your best.

Home Remedies For Allergy And Cold Symptoms

Cold or allergies? Here’s how to tell the difference

When you start to feel bad, some easy home cures can help. Get some rest as a first step. If you feel exhausted, respect your bodys signals and slow down exhaustion is a symptom of allergies and colds. In addition, gargle with warm water with salt to ease the discomfort of scratchy or irritated throats and congested nasal passages.

You can also utilize a neti pot to soothe your clogged nose. You can buy a neti pot at any local drugstore. It usually comes with packs of salt mixed with warm, clean water to make a solution that you flush into your nasal passages.

To soothe your sore throat, you can use a mixture of the half to a full teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm and clean water. Like you would with mouthwash, gargle for a few seconds. Then spit it out and do it again until there is no more solution. You may repeatedly do this daily until your sore throat is gone.

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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.

Allergies Or Cold Or Covid

While COVID-19 has become an unfortunate part of our everyday lives, it’s still important to be mindful of the disease and its symptoms.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 symptoms can also share some common cold or allergy symptoms. So how can you tell if your symptoms are because of a cold, allergies, or the Coronavirus? The important thing to remember here is that some of COVID-19’s most distinctive symptoms are not something you can get with the sniffles or hay fever. Let’s take a look at those.

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What Causes Respiratory Allergies

If you have allergies, you are not alone. Nearly 50 million other Americans have them, too. In fact, allergies are the fifth leading chronic, or long-term, disease in the United States, and the third most common chronic disease among children under 18-years-old.

Allergic reactions are caused by an over-reactive immune system. Sometimes the body mistakes a harmless substance for a dangerous invader. This results in a release of chemicals from immune cells, which can cause sneezing, itchy, runny nose or eyes, rashes or hives, inflamed eyes, skin, or lungs. In severe allergic reactions, whole body reactions may require immediate medical attention.

How To Tell The Difference

How to Tell Whether You Have a Cold or Allergies

Asking certain questions can help someone determine whether symptoms are due to an allergy or a cold:

  • How quickly did symptoms appear? Symptoms tend to come on gradually over a day or two when a cold is the cause. When symptoms come on suddenly out of nowhere, they are more likely to be caused by an allergy.
  • How long have symptoms been present? Symptoms of a cold tend to taper off after a week or two. Allergy symptoms may last while exposure to the triggering allergen is still in the air.
  • Do symptoms occur at predictable times? If symptoms tend to occur at the same time every year, they can be due to seasonal allergies.
  • Do symptoms include itchy or watery eyes or eczema? Certain symptoms tend to occur more frequently with allergies as opposed to colds.

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How To Tell The Difference Between A Cold And Allergies Symptoms

First, consider the symptoms. Colds and allergies both lead to sneezing, sniffling, and congestion, Kristine Arthur, an internist at MemorialCare Medical Group, says. But there are some key symptoms that set each illness apart.

Got an itchy sensation in your eyes or nose? That’s a tipoff you have allergies.

On the other hand, if you’re suffering from a headache, body aches, and a mild fever, those are signature symptoms of a cold, not allergies.

And while it might be gross, take a good look at your snot. If it’s thin and clear, you probably have allergies. But if it’s thick and discolored, then it’s probably a cold, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

How To Tell The Difference Between A Cold And Allergies

Autumn is upon us. Our kids are back in school, and there are fall festivities aplenty. With the leaves changing and the cooler temperatures, Texas is beautiful this time of year, but some folks dont feel their best. The change of seasons raises this question: Do I have a cold or allergies?

At Allergy & ENT Associates, we want to help you understand how to tell the difference between a cold and allergies. You will discover the best treatment options to pursue by understanding how the two differ from one another. When armed with a clean bill of health, you can get back to enjoying the fall season in the Lone Star State.

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What Are Colds And Allergies

They have different causes. You get a cold when a tiny living thing called a virus gets into your body. There are hundreds of different types that can get you sick.

Once a cold virus gets inside you, your immune system, the body’s defense against germs, launches a counter-attack. It’s this response that brings on the classic symptoms like a cough or stuffed up nose.

The viruses that cause colds are contagious. You can pick them up when someone who’s infected sneezes, coughs, or shakes hands with you. After a couple of weeks, at the most, your immune system fights off the illness and you should stop having symptoms.

It’s a different story with allergies. They’re caused by an overactive immune system. For some reason, your body mistakes harmless things, such as dust or pollen, for germs and mounts an attack on them.

When that happens, your body releases chemicals such as histamine, just as it does when fighting a cold. This can cause a swelling in the passageways of your nose, and you’ll start sneezing and coughing.

Unlike colds, allergies aren’t contagious, though some people may inherit a tendency to get them.

Your Eyes Are Watering: Allergies

How to tell if you have a cold, flu, or just allergies

If you find yourself battling bouts of itching and watering eyes, youre most likely not dealing with a cold but, instead, are suffering from allergies. While it can be tempting to relieve the itch with your fist or fingers, Dr. Shah urges patients to keep their eyes as clean as possible. Try rinsing out your eyes with water and using allergy drops whenever theyre nearby, she says.

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Whats The Difference Between Hay Fever And A Cold: Symptoms Of A Cold

There are additional cold symptoms that are uncommon with allergies. If youre also experiencing any of the following, its more likely that you have a cold:

  • Aches and pains, which can include pressure in the face/ears.
  • Raised temperature, fever or sweating.

Aches and fevers are associated more with colds than allergies. Although the throat can be affected with an allergy or common cold, the feeling is often different its usually sore with a cold, and itchy with an allergy. The same goes for eyes colds or pollen allergy symptoms can include watery eyes, but theyre more common with an allergy, when they also tend to be itchy.

How To Tell The Difference Between Allergies And A Cold

Dr. Kevin Glynn understands why many people have a hard time telling the difference between respiratory infections — that is, colds — and allergies. “I’m an allergy sufferer, so I’ve dealt with this from both sides of the stethoscope,” says Glynn, a retired pulmonologist in La Jolla, California. “It’s a question I personally face every few months.”

The similarities between cold symptoms and allergy symptoms can make it difficult to tell which condition you’re suffering from. “Allergies and respiratory viruses are often difficult to tell apart,” Glynn says. “I can empathize with the dilemma people often face, and understand why some people look to a doctor for a cure that may not exist.”

How to Tell the Difference Between an Allergy and a Cold

Nasal stuffiness, sneezing and a runny nose can by symptoms of both a cold and allergies, Glynn says. But there are differences in symptoms that can help you determine which one you’re suffering from. For example, if in addition to your other symptoms you’re also experiencing a sore throat and/or a fever, muscle aches and yellow mucus, you’ve probably got an infection or a cold, Glynn says.

Symptoms of Sinus Infections

Treatment Options

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What Are Your Symptoms

Both allergies and colds may cause a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, a cough, and fatigue. Itchy eyes, post-nasal drip, and dark circles under your eyes are more common with allergies. Symptoms more commonly caused by a virus include sore throat, cloudy or discolored nasal discharge, fever, and general aches and pains.

Wont Go Away: Allergies

Allergy vs. Cold: How Can You Tell The Difference?

If you have symptoms lasting more than three to five days, youre likely suffering from allergies instead of a cold. For a cold, the inflammation usually subsides when the infection has been successfully defeated by the bodyusually a few days, but it can take up to one or two weeks, says Matthew Mintz, MD, FACP, an internist in Bethesda, Maryland. With allergies, symptoms can continue as long as the allergen is present. If you feel yourself experiencing cold-like symptoms more frequently, Dr. Shah recommends keeping a journal to see if there is a pattern. Its important to assess what your body is reacting to and treat it from there, she adds. Also, consider that you might be showing these sinus infection symptoms.

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How To Treat Allergies

If you have confirmed that you are suffering from allergies, try the following:

  • Take daily allergy medication
  • Take antihistamines or decongestants
  • Keep an eye on your local air quality
  • Try to stay inside as much as possible if you are allergic to outdoor allergens
  • Wash your body and hair to rid yourself of pollen from outdoors
  • Get allergy shots, if recommended by your doctor

Again, suppose your allergies are incredibly bothersome and donât improve with over-the-counter medications, and you canât avoid the irritants that are causing your symptoms. In that case, you can speak to a doctor about stronger medications or allergy shots. Get in contact conveniently and quickly through our partner, PlushCare, and receive treatment for allergies immediately.

Allergies Vs Colds: 3 Main Differences

Making an accurate diagnosis between a cold and allergies can be tricky, even for professionals. But there are three telltale signs that its allergy symptoms, not cold symptoms.

  • Your symptoms are chronic. Allergies are more likely to flare up during specific times of the year and last for months. Allergens can also cause symptoms, which is why allergy testing is vital, as it lets you know your triggers. Allergy symptoms may be severe enough that they never seem to go away or they could be seasonal, only appearing in the winter or summer. A cold, on the other hand, usually lasts a few days to a week.
  • Your symptoms are intermittent. Allergy symptoms typically worsen in places where allergens are prevalent. For example, if you’re allergic to ragweed, the most severe symptoms appear in the fall because ragweed pollen is carried by the wind, increasing your exposure. Cold symptoms tend to stay consistent the entire time you’re sick. When you get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, and take medicine, the effects of a cold may temporarily subside. Nonetheless, cold symptoms generally stick around until you start healing.
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