Allergies vs. Cold Symptoms: How to Determine What’s Making You Miserable
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Allergy season is on its way—but, confusingly, it’s also still very much cold season. If you have a runny nose or scratchy throat, deciphering between allergies versus cold symptoms can be a challenge. After all, both can make you kind of miserable and some of the symptoms overlap. “It can be really hard to tell, especially when things first start,” Erin L. Reigh, MD, an allergist and immunologist at Dartmouth Health, tells SELF.
That said: There are a few glaring signs that can help you figure out if you’ve got a case of the common cold or your allergies are officially coming out of hibernation (or developing for the first time). And it’s definitely a good idea to figure out what’s going on, because treating the right thing is more likely to help you feel better ASAP. Not sure what’s ailing you? We asked experts to explain the difference between cold symptoms and allergy symptoms, and when it’s a good idea to see a doctor for a legit diagnosis.
What are common symptoms of a cold?
Hundreds of different viruses can cause the common cold (no wonder it’s “common”), including rhinovirus, common human coronaviruses, parainfluenza viruses, adenoviruses, enteroviruses, and human metapneumovirus. No matter the specific virus making you sick, common tell-tale symptoms of a cold include:
Runny nose
Nasal congestion
Cough
Sneezing
Sore throat
Headache
Mild body aches
Low-grade fever
Influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can also result in cold-like symptoms, but these illnesses are usually more severe than a regular cold. It’s also worth noting that even if your symptoms are initially mild, you can still develop a secondary infection like a sinus infection, ear infection, or pneumonia from a cold.
What are some common symptoms of allergies?
There are lots of different types of allergy triggers, but whether you’re allergic to pollen, dust, grass, mold, or any other item in the environment, your body will react in a similar way. Typical allergy symptoms can include:
Runny nose
Nasal congestion
Cough
Sneezing
Itchy skin, nose, or eyes
Watery or red eyes
Skin rashes
Wheezing or shortness of breath
Sinus pressure or headaches
Some people also feel run down when exposed to an allergy trigger, much like they would with a cold (which makes the symptoms more confusing). “You can have a slightly sick or fatigued feeling,” Katrina Johnson, MD, an internal medicine physician at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, tells SELF.
Is it a cold or allergies?
Given how similar some of the symptoms are, it makes sense if you’re confused about what you have. A few red flag signs can help clue you into whether you’re dealing with cold symptoms versus allergies.
Signs of infection. First on the list? Keep an eye out for classic signs of infection. Colds are less likely to cause fevers than other respiratory infections, like the flu or COVID-19, but your temperature still might go up if you’re fighting a cold virus. On the other hand, allergies don’t cause fevers, Dr. Reigh says. And you know how when you’re sick your glands can get puffy and swollen? Usually, that doesn’t happen when you have allergies, she adds.
Aches and pains. Pain (think: body aches and a sore throat) is also a tip off that you’re dealing with a virus like a cold. While allergies can cause some post-nasal drip that results in throat irritation, it’s unlikely you’d have a super sore throat with allergies alone. Body aches don’t usually happen with allergies, either.
Itchiness. On the flipside, if you have itchy or watery eyes, Dr. Reigh says that’s a good indication your allergies are acting up rather than a cold. Some allergies can also cause itchy ears or an itchy throat.
A pattern in your symptoms. Patterns can clue you in to what might be going on, Dr. Johnson says. If you get the same symptoms every year around the same time—for example, if a runny nose and itchy eyes hit like clockwork every April when pollen levels are high in your area—then that screams seasonal allergies. But if you’re randomly sick and there’s not a noticeable pattern, it could be a cold. (Keep in mind colds can happen any time of year, and so can allergies, but the latter often occurs in a seasonal pattern.)
Duration of symptoms. Colds usually last a few days to a week (unless they develop into a secondary infection, like a sinus infection or pneumonia). Allergies usually last as long as you’re exposed and not treating them. “Allergic triggers can be out for months at a time,” Dr. Reigh says.
Recent exposure. Another potential way to differentiate between cold symptoms versus allergies is whether you’ve recently been exposed to a sick person. “You can catch a cold, but not allergies,” Dr. Johnson says. If you’ve been around someone sick with cold symptoms, whether a family member, friend, or coworker, then it’s more likely you’ve caught a respiratory infection.
What to do if you have symptoms
Understanding the nuances of allergies versus cold symptoms can help you get to the bottom of what’s happening, but sometimes you might need a doctor to help you pin down what’s making you feel gross. There’s no wrong time to see a health care provider, but Dr. Johnson says it’s a good idea if you have symptoms that aren’t going away or are getting worse. “If you’ve had allergy or cold symptoms for more than 10 days and they seem to be worsening instead of improving, that might be a good time to check in with your doctor,” she says. Ditto if you’ve had a fever of higher than 100.4 for four or more days, which could be a sign of a different infection.
To diagnose you, your doctor will ask you questions about your medical history and current symptoms and perform a physical exam. It’s not standard to run tests to confirm a suspected cold, but they may choose to do a nose swab for other things like COVID-19 or the flu if your symptoms seem more in line with those viruses, and may also do lab work to rule out a secondary infection that would warrant antibiotics. If nothing else comes up positive, or they think it’s likely you have a cold or allergies based on your symptoms, then the doc will recommend treatments to help you feel better.
How to treat a cold
There’s no quick cure for a cold, so treatment is all about managing your symptoms until you feel better—and luckily, there are lots of over-the-counter medications that can help.
If you’re congested or have a cough, Dr. Johnson recommends trying a nasal saline rinse or running a cool mist humidifier while you sleep. As for meds, she suggests looking for products that contain guaifenesin, which can thin your mucus and help with chest cold symptoms (e.g. Mucinex). Antihistamines (yep, like the ones you take for seasonal allergies) can also help dry out a runny nose, especially early on in a cold.
Pseudoephedrine, another common ingredient in cold medicines, can also help with congestion, but it can make some people feel nervous or jumpy, and it can also be risky for people with high blood pressure or irregular heart rhythms. Nasal sprays containing phenylephrine are also a good way to manage congestion—but Dr. Johnson advises against using them for more than a few days to avoid becoming dependent on them.
If you have aches, sore throat, or a fever, try taking an over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen) or a pain reliever (acetaminophen). “If you have sinus congestion, which involves sinus inflammation, then you want to aim for the anti-inflammatories,” Dr. Johnson says.
Typically, colds get better on their own over a few days or a week, so try to stay hydrated and rest—and stay away from other people as much as you can to avoid spreading your germs.
How to treat allergies
The best way to improve allergies is by avoiding the allergy trigger, but that’s not always possible or realistic. Dr. Reigh recommends starting with a nasal steroid, such as fluticasone or triamcinolone, to relieve nasal and eye symptoms. “You can do two sprays in each nostril every day, and it works best when you use it daily,” she says. While nose sprays can help eye symptoms in some people, if your eyes still feel itchy or watery, you can also add antihistamine eye drops to your allergy treatment regimen.
Still itchy and congested? Oral antihistamine medications (e.g. diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, and loratadine) can help tame the allergic response in your body and reduce your symptoms. For allergy symptoms that don’t go away with over-the-counter treatments, your doctor may refer you to an allergist for testing or stronger prescription medications. Depending on your allergies, you may also be a candidate for allergy shots that “train your immune system to ignore your allergies,” says Dr. Reigh.
How to avoid getting (and spreading) a cold
As amazing as it would be to bypass all the annoying symptoms that come with seasonal allergies, they often can’t be prevented and require management. But for the common cold and other respiratory viruses that circulate this time of year there’s a lot you can do to reduce your risk of getting sick.
Most respiratory viruses spread through droplets released when a sick person sneezes or coughs. Some viruses can also spread through close contact (say, shaking hands or hugging an infected person). Colds can happen any time of the year, so it’s smart to be vigilant about hygiene as much as possible.
To avoid catching a cold or any other respiratory virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends washing your hands frequently with soap and water. Stay away, if possible, from anyone you know who is sick—and stay home when you yourself don’t feel well. (It should be okay to return to normal activities when your symptoms are getting better overall and you haven’t had a fever without using fever-reducing medication for at least 24 hours.)
And sometimes, despite taking common-sense precautions, you may end up with a case of the sneezes or a nose that won’t stop running. Both allergy and cold symptoms can be annoying and uncomfortable, but, luckily, they are totally manageable—especially if you know what’s causing them.
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Originally Appeared on Self
