Colds vs. Allergies
Well, the weather is getting cooler and that means the nasty cold, flu and allergies season is just around the corner. Do you know the different between colds and allergies?
| Check Your Symptoms Symptoms of allergies and colds can be similar, but here’s how to tell the difference: |
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| Colds | Allergies | |
| Occurrence of symptoms | Symptoms often appear one at a time: first sneezing, then a runny nose, then congestion. | Symptoms occur all at once. |
| Duration of symptoms | Generally last from seven to 10 days. | Continue as long as a person is exposed to the allergy-causing agent (allergen). |
| Mucus | Often a yellowish nasal discharge, due to an infection. | Generally a clear, thin, watery discharge. |
| Sneezing | Less common than with allergies. | More common than with colds, especially when sneezing occurs two or three times in a row. |
| Time of year | More common during winter. | More common in spring through fall, when plants are pollinating. |
| Fever | May be accompanied by a fever. | Not usually associated with a fever. |
Many people (10-20%) of the population suffer from allergic responses to allergens. What can you do about it?
- Track the pollen count for your area;
- Stay indoors in central air conditioning with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter attachment when the pollen count is high. This will remove pollen from the indoor air;
- Get away from the pollen where possible;
- Take antihistamine medications;
- If medication does not give enough relief, consider immunotherapy (”allergy shots”).
September 30 2008 07:32 pm | Health
October 20th, 2008 at 9:21 am
looking forward for more information about this. thanks for sharing. Eugene