Having the symptoms of a cold or allergies can be an annoyance for anyone afflicted. Getting treatment as soon as possible is essential to feeling better and getting rid of the symptoms. However, it can be difficult to determine whether you have the common cold or you are suffering from allergies. Both have similar symptoms and can affect any person. People often have trouble determining which illness is affecting them because of the similar symptoms. There are some key differences between the common cold and allergies. These differences will help someone determine which illness is affecting them and they can get the correct treatment. Knowing the difference will help a person feel better faster.
The first major difference between the common cold and allergies is the cause. When a person gets a cold it is because a virus gets into their body and makes them sick. The virus will attack the immune system and the body will launch an attack against the virus. Allergies are much different. Allergies are caused by an overactive immune system. When dust or pollen gets into a person’s body, the body will mistake them for germs and attack them. The body will release a chemical called a histamine. This is similar to the process your body goes through when fighting a cold. The histamine will cause swelling in the nasal passageways and you will start to sneeze and cough. Colds are contagious, while allergies are not contagious.
When you have allergies or a cold and you are having trouble determining which one is affecting you, you should look at the symptoms that you are experiencing. Some symptoms that are similar between the two are runny, stuffy noses and fatigue. You may also experience itchy, watery eyes, a cough and a sore throat with both. Itchy, watery eyes are more common with allergies, and a cough and sore throat is more common with a cold. There are two symptoms that will never happen with allergies and will almost always accompany a cold. These two symptoms are a fever and aches. If you are experiencing a number of these symptoms and you cannot tell if it is allergies or a cold, check to see if you have a fever and ask yourself if you have been experiencing aches. You are most likely experiencing a cold if the answer to those questions is yes. If the answers are no, then you most likely have allergies.
There are a few other ways to determine if you have a cold or you have allergies. You should look at when your symptoms started. Symptoms can begin immediately with allergies if you have come in contact with an allergy trigger. Cold symptoms can take a few days to appear after the initial infection of the virus. Both cold and allergies can happen at any time. Colds happen most often in the winter time, but can happen throughout the year. Allergies can happen throughout the year as well. Most times allergies are triggered seasonally. Most people with allergies know what season their allergies are triggered in. This can help determine if what you are experiencing is allergies or a cold. It is most likely allergies if symptoms hit you at the same time each year. The last major difference between a cold and allergies is how long the symptoms last. Most colds will last between three and 14 days. Allergies can last for months, and the symptoms will be prevalent as long as you are in contact with the trigger.
Getting treatment for the common cold and allergies will help you feel better faster and will help get rid of the annoying symptoms that accompany both illnesses. Knowing the main differences between the two illnesses will help you get treatment faster and you will be well on your way to feeling better in no time.