Do you Know if you Are Suffering from Allergies or a Cold?
- By Salud by Dr. Rigo
- June 8, 2020
- 9:10 pm
Because seasonal allergies and colds are both very common during spring, it’s often difficult to tell if you are having a cold or suffering from allergies.
Here are a few differences you can check for, so you can treat the symptoms accordingly.
The Cause
While common colds are caused by different kinds of virus and are contagious, allergies occur when your immune system releases a chemical named histamine, in response to an allergy trigger, and they are not contagious.
Symptoms
What makes allergies and colds easy to be mistaken for one another, is the similar symptoms they both present.
Both colds and allergies can show up with a combination of sneezing, coughing, a sore throat, and a runny, stuffy nose.
As you may notice, some of the symptoms they present are similar, but there are a few symptoms that they don’t share.
Severe colds can cause fatigue, headaches and pain, and a fever, which are not likely symptoms caused by allergies. On their side, allergies can cause itchy, watery eyes, wheezing and rashes like hives or eczema.
The time of the year is not a 100 percent accurate way to tell them apart since a cold is more common in the colder seasons, but they can come during any season. Allergies can be seasonal if caused by pollen, for example, but if you suffer from allergies to dust or the hair or saliva of specific animals, the time of the year won’t make much of a difference.
If you are still not sure if you suffer from allergies, you can ask your physician to recommend an allergy expert to you that can test you for different kinds of allergies, in order to help you treat and prevent it adequately. It’s always best to be sure before taking any medication since it’s not recommendable to take the medicine you don’t need.
We hope this article helps you identify your symptoms more accurately and make a more aware decision in what kind of treatment is best for you.
You can call us at 1-800-299-7917 to make a virtual appointment with Doctor Rigoberto Perez Diaz, or visit our website www.salud.bz, we will gladly assist you. Remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and do not forget to tune into our daily program SALUD TV.
