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.
Allergies Rarely Induce Throat Or Body Pain
Allergies rarely cause any severe pain, except for a possible headache due to sinus congestion. Your allergies can result in sore throat only if it is caused by coughing and post-nasal drip. But if youre experiencing sore throat and body aches simultaneously, its an indication that you might have a cold or flu.
Manage Symptoms Using Over
Medications for Cold
If you suspect you have a cold and experiencing a slight fever, headache, or muscle pain, take ibuprofen or acetaminophen as long as youre not allergic to these medicines.These medications can aid in lowering your fever and relieve body pain.However, if your child has cold symptoms, ensure you talk to their physician about which medicines are safe. You should also carefully follow the instructions for how much pain reliever to give.
Antihistamines can also alleviate cold symptoms, including sneezing, a runny or congested nose, and itchy, watery eyes. Therefore, taking an antihistamine can be helpful if you are suffering any of these indications during a cold.
Medications To Alleviate Allergy Symptoms
There are a few remedies available at your local drugstore for dealing with allergy symptoms aside from antihistamines:
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What’s The Difference Between A Cold And Allergies
When exposed to certain particles such as animal dander, pollen, trees and grasses children may have an allergic response. This occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens, triggering the release of histamine and other chemicals into the bloodstream.
This response causes common allergy symptoms, including:
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Fever, in some cases
How To Tell The Difference
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 You Can Tell The Difference Between Cold And Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
With both allergies and colds, its typical to have congestion or a runny nose, and to sneeze often. You may also feel tired and drowsy. But there are several other symptoms that dont often overlap between allergies and a cold. Here are some of the telltale differences between cold symptoms and allergy symptoms.
Differences Between Colds And Allergies
Besides differences in symptoms, there are three other ways to tell whether you have a cold or allergy:
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Does My Child Have Allergies
Children get allergies when certain substances enter their body, and their immune system produces antibodies and histamine to ward off the threat. This creates an inflammatory response that leads to sneezing, sniffling, itchy eyes, and other allergy symptoms.
Nasos Zovoilis / Stocksy
Depending on the cause, your kid’s allergies can be seasonal or year-round. “Seasonal allergies are often due to an increase in pollen counts of certain plants in your area,” says Dr. Jain. Allergy triggers vary by season, but they include weeds, grasses, trees, and some molds. On the other hand, “year-round allergies can often be attributed to indoor allergens such as cat and dog dander, dust mites, mold, and cockroaches,” says Dr. Jain.
Symptoms of allergies include:
- Worsening of asthma symptoms
- Allergic shiners
Note that it’s rare for children younger than 3 to have seasonal allergies, so their symptoms probably point to something else.
Treating Seasonal Allergies In Children
- Minimize symptoms at home by washing clothes after being outside, vacuuming often and using air filters and purifiers.
- Try a non-sedating oral antihistamine, such as Zyrtec or Claritin. Your child should get relief within a day or two.
- If the antihistamine helps, but not much, add a nasal steroid such as over-the-counter Flonase which you spray into the nose. Sometimes you need both antihistamine and nasal spray to control allergies.
- You can also try nasal spray only. If your child gets relief, skip the oral antihistamine.
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Cold Vs Omicron Variant
Many viruses that cause the common cold are different types of coronaviruses.
Recent research shows that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 may have mutated to acquire some genetic material from another cold-causing coronavirus.
This may explain, at least in part, why this strain appears to be more infectious and its symptoms appear to be milder and more similar to those of a cold.
Data from a COVID-19 symptom study, conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Kings College London, and Stanford University School of Medicine for the health science company ZOE, showed that Omicron symptoms tend to be cold-like mainly runny nose, headache, sore throat, and sneezing.
Omicron also appears to cause less severe illness in children under 5 years.
The symptoms of traditional COVID-19 like the Delta variant usually develop in 23 days .
Since a person cannot know what variant of COVID-19 they may have contracted, and the symptoms may be similar, any person who experiences cold-like symptoms should have a test for COVID-19.
Allergies Do Not Cause Fevers
People often wonder if allergies can cause a fever. The answer is no. Allergies cannot cause a fever, though you could have an allergy flare-up at the same time youre experiencing a fever from an infection. For example, since allergies tend to cause stuffy noses, theyre also considered risk factors for sinus infections. Sinus infections happen when mucus gets trapped in the sinuses, allowing bacteria or viruses to grow.
With a cold, your temperature can run warmer, but typically it will be less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
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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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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.
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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.
One Important Health Note About Allergies
Its important to note that everyones response to allergens are different. Some people may experience a severe reaction called anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening response that can occur even with small amounts of exposure to allergens, that cause your body to react strongly. If your allergic reactions come on quickly and you experience difficulty breathing seek urgent care and medical attention immediately.
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How To Treat Seasonal Allergies
Many treatments for seasonal allergies are safe and accessible without a prescription, including over-the-counter decongestants, antihistamine pills, steroid nasal sprays and sinus irrigations, Dr. Hur says.
Head off the symptoms of seasonal allergies, by starting your medicine in advance of pollen season for best results. Keep your doors and windows closed on high pollen count days, and if you have air conditioning, use it. If you must go outside, wear a hat and sunglasses to minimize pollen getting into your eyes, then change your clothes when you get inside.
Allergy Symptoms Typically Last Longer And Have A Pattern
If you have allergies, the symptoms will usually flare up at specific times of the year when allergens to which you are susceptible are prevalent. For instance, if you have an allergy to tree pollen, your allergy symptoms will manifest in early spring. This also indicates that your allergy symptoms may last for several days or weeks until the season ends.
On the other hand, viruses that cause the common cold are present throughout the year, so its possible to acquire a cold at any moment. However, the likelihood of becoming sick is highest during the winter season. And compared to allergies, the average duration of a cold is one week.
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Home Remedies For Allergy And Cold Symptoms
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.
How To Treat Allergy Symptoms
Whether you use prescription or over-the-counter drugs, or even more holistic solutions, there are plenty of ways to relieve your allergy symptoms. Here are a few of these ways:
- Allergy medication including antihistamines or decongestants that are available either over-the-counter or by prescription.
- Eye drops for watery or itchy eyes.
- Natural, drug-free methods to relieve nasal congestion- including saline solution, a neti pot, or SinuSonic.
You cant control whats in the air, but you can reduce your exposure to some allergens like dust mites and pet dander. This can help keep you below your threshold for allergy symptom relief. Here are our tips to help you allergy-proof your home.
Remember, allergens arent the only cause of allergy symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny or stuffy nose. Non-allergic triggers like cigarette smoke can trigger your symptoms and those cant be treated with antihistamines for relief.
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Spring Is The Season Of The Surprising Cold
Generally, we think of colds as being predominant in the fall and winter. But springtime is prime time for a cold and allergies. Spring brings dramatic changes in the weather and often poor air quality which can make conditions perfect to catch a cold.
Springtime colds are often mistaken for allergies in the beginning. It is important to note the difference so you can begin appropriate treatment.
Allergies Dont Cause Fevers
Unlike the term hay fever, allergies typically dont cause fevers. Colds are much more likely to elevate your body temperature or cause a fever than allergies. However, you could have an allergy flare-up at the same time youre developing an infection.
Allergies dont cause infection but due to the inflammation, swelling and mucus that allergies can cause, this can cause mucus to get trapped in the sinuses and cause bacteria and viruses to grow, Dr. Pero said. This can result in sinus infections.
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Is It Cold Or Allergies Heres How To Tell Them Apart
The typical cold and allergies share symptoms such as sneezing, a runny nose, a cough, exhaustion, and headaches. Its conceivable that you have seasonal allergies if you experience abrupt onset cold symptoms around the same time every year. Although common cold and allergy symptoms may be similar, there are significant differences between the two conditions.
Seasonal allergies are immune system responses prompted by exposure to allergens like pollen or pet dander. On the other hand, the common cold is caused by a virus. However, if youre experiencing symptoms and are unsure if its a typical cold or allergies, its best to consult a specialist at urgent care in Fairfield, CT.
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.
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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.
