About Allergies: Is Your Cold Really Spring Allergies?

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Allergies Allergies Symptoms / Diagnosis Treatment Coping From Daniel More, MD, your Guide to Allergies You may be blaming your springtime sniffles on a cold, but could it really be spring allergies instead? It is often difficult, even for a healthcare professional, to tell the difference between a cold and allergies. Symptoms of a cold may include fatigue, body aches and possibly a fever. Nasal allergies, on the other hand, include symptoms that may come and go, often include itching of the eyes and nose, and recur with exposure to a person's allergic trigger (such as pollen or pet dander). Most treatments of allergies will not be useful for the treatment of cold symptoms, with the exception of older antihistamines (such as Benadryl) and nasal decongestants (such as Sudafed) which are likely to help the symptoms of both colds and allergies. Colds versus Allergies Allergies or a Cold? Sometimes, it can be difficult to tell. The symptoms of allergies can be very similar to the symptoms of the common cold, but there are some important differences. Both may cause nasal congestion, runny nose, post nasal drip and sneezing. Itching -- especially of the eyes, nose, and sometimes the ears and throat -- is a common feature of allergies, but is usually not present with a cold. Other symptoms, such as body aches, fever and sore throat, commonly occur with a cold; these symptoms are absent with allergies. See More About:  allergy diagnosis  allergy testing  sinusitis Could You Have Allergies? Most everyone has an idea of what an allergy is. Allergies are so common, in fact, that it seems acceptable to discuss allergy symptoms at a cocktail party with perfect strangers. An allergy is an abnormal reaction by a person's immune system to a normally harmless substance. A person without allergies would have no reaction to this substance, but when a person who is allergic encounters the trigger, the body reacts by releasing chemicals which cause allergy symptoms. See More About:  allergy testing  allergy treatment  prevention of allergies Spring Allergies Spring is the most common time of the year for people to experience seasonal allergy symptoms. As the weather gets warmer and plants start to bloom, trees and grasses release pollen into the air, triggering allergic symptoms in those with seasonal allergies. Colorful flowers also bloom in the spring, and are often blamed as the cause of spring allergies. See More About:  spring allergies  hay fever  fall allergies Alternative Therapies in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Allergies Discussion of various alternative, controversial and unproven techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases, including the popular area of herbal supplements. Allergies Ads Seasonal Allergies Sinus Allergies Pollen Allergies Pet Allergies Food Allergies Featured Articles Glossary of Terms Information on the Most Common Allergy Medications Allergy Basics Frequently Asked Questions Nose and Eye Allergies Skin Allergies   More from About.com Financial Emergencies An unexpected change in your financial situation can be incredibly stressful. Here's how to cope. More> Retirement Planning Learn the top five things you need to do in order to start building a retirement nest egg. More> This newsletter is written by: Daniel More, MD Allergies Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Allergies newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Must Reads What are Allergies? Symptoms of Allergies Diagnosis of Allergies Treatment of Allergies Preventing Allergies   Follow me on: Advertisement