Sometimes, people who have symptoms like runny nose, you are sneezing and if you are having congestion and coughing problem then this can be due to allergies. These symptoms are not always due to cold.
So, How to Understand the Difference Between a Cold or Allergies?
So, in order to understand the difference first, we will discuss what is cold and what are the symptoms of cold.
Cold is also known as “the common cold,” and cold is caused by a virus. Though, the symptoms of cold and the severity may differ from person to person. Cold generally happens due to different types of viruses.
Common Features of the Cold Are:
Cold transmitted through droplets that contain a virus, and when a sick person sheds while coughing or sneezing without covering their nose and mouth there are high chances that they might spread the virus to other people around them.
Cold symptoms also include runny nose, sore throat and stuffy nose.
In case of a severe cold, the person will go through symptoms like body aches, fevers, and headaches.
Cold remain for 7 to 10 days if it is severe but in most of the cases recover from cold is quick.
On the other hand, people who have any type of allergies are more prevalent to catch a cold compared to others.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an average adult can catches cold at least two to three time a year. Cold is a kind of a virus that can happen in any season despite its name.
Children are more prevalent to catch a cold because of their less mature immune system and therefore it is important to take necessary preventive steps to keep your kids away from cold catching viruses.
Now, how allergies differ from a cold?
Allergies are a result of an adverse reaction of our immune system to certain substances.
When you a person is exposed to allergy trigger (also known as allergen) your immune system releases histamines (it is chemical that releases due to allergy trigger) and this chemical leads to allergy symptoms.
Here are Some Similar Symptoms of Cold and Allergies:
- Coughing.
- Sore throat.
- Sneezing.
- Nasal congestion.
- Runny nose.
- Watery eyes.
But, if you have allergies you might face symptoms like itchy eyes and rashes which is not the case in common cold.
Do you know that more than 50 million people in America are allergic to something? One of the most common triggering allergens are grass, weed pollen and tree and there are certain substances which might be the trigger allergies.
Here some other reasons that can trigger allergies:
- Animal dander or saliva, from a dog or cat.
- Mold.
- Foods like, tree nuts, eggs, peanuts and milk.
- Dust mites.
As we can see that the symptoms of cold and allergies are mostly similar you might not able to guess which condition you are going through and for that you might need the help of a medical expert.
We hope this blog is helpful for you and next time you do not get confused between the two problems.