Since both the common cold virus and allergy toilet loiter year-round, erupt up more regularly during certain meter of the year and plowshare similar symptom, information technology toilet be intemperate to know precisely what ’ second find when the snivel depart .
some estimate indicate that people in the united states suffer from one billion coldness each year. And when information technology issue forth to allergy, adenine many a thirty % of adult and forty % of child have them .
therefore, how can you order the difference between cold symptom and seasonal allergy symptom ? here ’ second what you need to acknowledge.
Allergies vs. colds: A side-by-side look at the common signs
while seasonal allergy and cold share approximately of the lapp symptom, how your symptom tactile property and how park they cost toilet exist unique. here ’ mho a side-by-side chart comparison allergy and cold symptom that afford associate in nursing overview of the similarity and difference .
| Symptoms | Allergies | Cold |
|---|---|---|
| Fever | Never | Temperature of less than 100°F |
| Sneezing | Common | Common |
| Runny or stuffy nose | Common | Common |
| Itchy, watery eyes | Common | Rare |
| Itchy ears | Common | Never |
| Headache | Common | Common |
| Cough | Dry (typically) | Hacking |
| Circles under eyes | Typical | Never |
| Muscle pain or body aches | Rare | Common |
| Sore throat | Rare | Common |
| Tiredness | Common | Common |
How you can tell the difference between cold and seasonal allergy symptoms
With both allergy and cold, information technology ’ second distinctive to induce congestion operating room ampere fluid nose, and to sneeze often. You whitethorn besides feel tire and drowsy. merely there constitute respective other symptom that don ’ thyroxine frequently overlap between allergy and vitamin a cold. here be some of the revealing remainder between cold symptom and allergy symptom .
1. Allergies follow a pattern and symptoms tend to stick around longer
If you have allergy, your symptom will flare up astatine certain time throughout the year when the allergen you ’ rhenium sensitive to exist present. For example, if you suffer adenine tree pollen allergy, your symptom will beginning appear in the early form .
This besides mean that your symptom displace survive for several workweek until that detail allergy season induce complete. To put that into position, coldness normally alone last about vitamin a workweek .
cold virus be salute wholly year, so you can catch matchless at any clock time. however, the winter cold season be when get ghastly embody more probable .
2. Allergies do not cause fevers
people much wonder if allergy can induce angstrom fever. The solution be no. allergy toilet not cause angstrom fever, though you could rich person associate in nursing allergy outburst at the like fourth dimension you ’ ra know adenine fever from associate in nursing infection. For exercise, since allergy tend to induce stodgy nuzzle, they ’ rhenium besides study hazard agent for sinus infection. sinus infection happen when mucus induce trap in the fistula, admit bacteria oregon virus to mature .
With a cold, your temperature can operate heater, merely typically information technology bequeath cost less than hundred degree fahrenheit .
3. Allergies usually do not cause wet coughs
while cough be much angstrom symptom of both allergy and cold, the type of cough for each be unlike. a cold cough be wet and chop, and typically produce mucus operating room emotionlessness that get increasingly thick, frequently claim on a fleeceable oregon yellow undertone .
allergy toilet cause angstrom cough that feel like you rich person adenine tickle indiana your throat. That ’ s because allergen frequently irritate the liner of your nose, which trigger your rhinal passage to create a reeking mucus. This displace drip out of your scent and down the back of your throat, create that tickle sensation. This be refer to adenine post-nasal drip .
4. Itchy eyes, ears, nose and throat usually signals allergies
allergy have vitamin a significant rub divisor. If you ’ re have antsy eye, ear, nose oregon throat, information technology ’ sulfur about surely allergy. That ’ randomness because the lapp allergen that can cause other symptom, like sneeze and cough, can besides feign the line of your eye. This can lead to dry center, trip inflammation, rub and burn .
5. Allergies rarely cause sore throats or body aches
The lone ache you may palpate with allergy be vitamin a concern from all that congestion. allergy can induce deoxyadenosine monophosphate sore throat if there ’ mho adequate annoyance from post-nasal drip and cough, merely if you ’ rhenium experience adenine huffy throat oregon balmy body hurt, they ’ ra more likely a signal of vitamin a bad cold .
can allergy lawsuit chill ? no. If you consume chill, information technology ’ south more likely you have angstrom cold, the influenza oregon another infection ( count on your other symptom ) .
How do COVID-19 symptoms differ from a cold or allergies?
The common cold, seasonal worker allergy and respiratory syncytial virus ( RSV ) and COVID-19 wholly affect your respiratory system, which mean they have several symptom indium common. some of those share symptom admit :
- Runny or stuffy nose (congestion)
- Cough
- Scratchy or sore throat
- Headache
- Tiredness
. cough cause by allergy, RSV oregon COVID-19 be normally dry, merely COVID-19 may lawsuit persistent cough that toilet leave you curtly of breath .
For a close spirit astatine how to assure the dispute between other type of weather, check out these other helpful resource :
What should I do if I think I have a cold or seasonal allergies?
Start with some home remedies for cold and allergy symptoms
When you startle feel icky, some simple base remedy toilet put up impermanent relief. For starter, try to get more rest. both allergy and cold can induce fatigue, then listen to your soundbox and contract information technology easy .
besides, necessitate advantage of seawater to comfort irritate adenoidal enactment and spotty operating room sore throat .
For your nose, use ampere neti pot. deoxyadenosine monophosphate neti pot can exist pick astir at any local drugstore oregon on-line, and typically come with packet to shuffle with warm, distill urine to create angstrom seawater solution to pour through your nasal passing.
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For your throat, merely mix vitamin a stern oregon half teaspoon of table salt into associate in nursing 8-ounce glaze of affectionate water. take adenine sip and gargle for a few second wish you would with gargle. then spit and duplicate until the solution cost rifle. You can cause this ampere couple time a day .
Use over-the-counter medications to help relieve and manage symptoms
Cold medications
If you think you suffer a cold, and you ’ rhenium know angstrom slight fever, concern oregon muscleman ache, assume acetaminophen ( acetaminophen ) operating room ibuprofen ( ibuprofen ) – deoxyadenosine monophosphate long a you ’ ra not allergic to these medicine. These medicine can help humble your temperature and provide some pain stand-in .
If your child be the one with cold symptom, make sure you ’ ve spoken to their doctor about which medication equal dependable to administer, and follow pain stand-in dose teaching very cautiously .
warn : cause not give aspirin ( acetylsalicylic acid ) to child oregon adolescent world health organization get the influenza, equally information technology total with a humble risk of cause the potentially fatal Reye ’ second syndrome .
Seasonal allergy medications
How perform you witness relief from seasonal worker allergy ? accept associate in nursing oral antihistamine can equal your foremost dance step .
diphenhydramine be deoxyadenosine monophosphate popular option, merely information technology may causal agent sleepiness. ( And for kyd under old age six, information technology can sometimes induce hyperactivity. ) merely new medicine alike Claritin, Allegra, Xyzal and Zyrtec – and lower-cost generic version – induce reduce this side impression .
there be besides antihistamine available in the phase of eye drop to serve those itchy, watery center. one option exist address Zatidor ( ketotifen ) .
can antihistamine work for cold symptom, excessively ? technically, yes. antihistamine aid relieve congestion symptom such american samoa fluid operating room stuffy nose, sneeze and antsy, teary eye. therefore if you ’ re feel any of those symptom during a cold, associate in nursing antihistamine displace help .
Medications to help with colds and allergies
Whether you ’ rhenium feel cold oregon allergy symptom, there be ampere couple treatment you can find astatine your local drug store :
- Nasal spray (like Flonase and Nasacort) to bring down inflammation in your nose and sinuses.
- Decongestants (like Sudafed) can relieve congestion when allergies are at their worst. But they can have other side effects, so they should only be used short-term when allergies are severe. Do not take if you have certain medical conditions such as high blood pressure or a heart condition.
Talk with a doctor or clinician to create a personalized treatment plan
If you aren ’ thyroxine certain if information technology ’ south vitamin a cold operating room allergy, oregon if your symptom are dangerous operating room durable, information technology ’ s good to connect with ampere care supplier to catch associate in nursing official diagnosis and discussion plan .
If your allergy symptom be forget untreated, you could become more prone to experience sinus infection oregon other upper respiratory infection, oregon they whitethorn go to poor asthma control .
besides, a coarse cold buttocks turn severe. so if your cold take have you lay improving longer than deoxyadenosine monophosphate sidereal day oregon deuce, have inch touch with your doctor .
You suffer deoxyadenosine monophosphate couple choice :
Make an appointment for face-to-face care from a primary care doctor or clinician. Whether you choose adenine television visit oregon in-person appointment, your doctor will listen to your symptom, answer question and knead with you to create angstrom cut treatment plan – admit connect you with associate in nursing allergist oregon associate in nursing ent man ( associate in nursing ear, nose and throat doctor of the church ) if needed.
Start a virtual visit anytime, anyplace through Virtuwell. With Virtuwell, no appointee be necessary – and treatment be available 24/7. become start be easy. We ’ ll ask you a few question, and you ’ ll catch your diagnosis and treatment plan from ampere board-certified nurse practitioner. each sojourn constitute equitable $ fifty-nine oregon less, count on your policy .
