Do you have a cold or are you allergic?How to distinguish symptoms

When spring flowers are blooming and cold viruses are prevalent, it can be difficult to determine whether symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, and runny nose are due to colds, allergies, or both. .

In the US, about 1/4 adult Dealing with seasonal allergies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. two or three colds Annually, usually in winter and spring.

Experts say understanding the cause of symptoms is critical to effective treatment. The good news is that there are some easy ways to tell the difference between a cold and an allergy.

Symptoms of a cold (or another viral illness)

Joyce Yu, Ph.D., a pediatric allergist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, says many viral infections, like the common cold, cause symptoms that are slightly different from those caused by seasonal allergies.

heat. Most adults and older children don’t have a fever (or a low-grade fever) when they have a cold, but a fever is a “clear red flag” of some viral infection, Dr. Yu says. It could be a cold, the flu or he could be another illness such as Covid-19.

However, Dr. Yu said, “Allergies never cause a fever,” so you can always rule that out.

My body hurts. If your muscles are sore, aching, and tired, the discomfort is probably caused by a cold (or another viral illness), not allergies, says Dr. Yu.

This is more than just being a little tired, she added. “If she feels like she’s been hit by a truck, it could be because of her illness,” she said.

sore throat. Allergies can cause inflammation in the throat via postnasal drip, says Dr. Jyoti Thirumalassetti, a clinical assistant professor at Stanford University School of Medicine who specializes in allergies and immunology. But a sore throat is typical of the common cold, especially if it is severe.

If your tonsils are also red or swollen, that’s another sign of a cold (or another viral infection), she said.

I have a bad cough. A cough can be caused by a cold or allergies, but when it’s caused by a cold, it’s usually more severe, says Dr. Tirumalaseti. For example, if she wakes up in the middle of the night with a coughing fit, it’s a sign of a cold, she said.

Colds can produce a wet, dry cough, whereas allergies usually result in a dry cough.

One exception to the severity rule, however, is if you have asthma in addition to allergies, said Dr. Tirumalassetti. In that case, allergies can trigger asthma symptoms, which may include lots of coughing and wheezing.

Signs of seasonal allergies

clear mucus. A runny nose with a clear runny nose may suggest that you are experiencing an allergy rather than a cold.

When you have a cold, the mucus in your nose tends to be thicker and yellow or green, Dr. Yu said. There is also a tight feeling because it is thick.

Allergies can cause the mucus in your nose to thin, become watery, and appear clear.

But these are all generalizations, Dr. Yu said.

itch. If you feel like scratching your skin, especially around your eyes, nose and ears, it indicates you’re experiencing symptoms of an allergy rather than a cold, Dr. Yu said.

Red or watery eyes and swollen eyelids are also more typical of allergies than colds, said Dr. Tilmalacetti.

sneeze. Dr. Yu said sneezing is a troubling symptom because it is common to both allergies and colds. But unlike allergies, sneezing is not the main feature of colds. So if you sneeze a lot but don’t feel sick with a sore throat, body aches, fatigue, or other common cold symptoms, it could be a sign of allergies.

symptom timeline

Spring seasonal allergies, caused primarily by tree pollen, will probably worsen slowly and smoothly over several weeks as the trees release more pollen.

But for viral infections like the common cold, the first symptoms usually appear in just a few days, says Dr. Yu.

And while most of the time, cold symptoms all go away within a few weeks, but seasonal allergy symptoms can last for the entire season, said Dr. Tirumalassetti.

If you find yourself having allergy symptoms around the same time each spring, you can bet that at least some of your current symptoms are due to allergies, says an allergy immunologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Shraddha Agarwal said. Unless your current symptoms are significantly different from your usual symptoms.

If you think you have a cold and you don’t feel well after a week or two, see your doctor or allergist to evaluate for other conditions such as allergies or sinus infections. please.

what to do

Some over-the-counter medicines help with both cold and allergy symptoms. Oral antihistamines such as Claritin, Zyrtec and Allegra, for example, can manage symptoms such as a runny or stuffy nose and sneezing, Dr. Yu said.

saline rinse It can also help clear sinus congestion whether you’re suffering from a cold or allergies, Dr. Agarwal said.

And if you think you really have a cold, Dr. Yu recommends that you take a day off or stay home so that other people don’t get sick.