Is It Allergies or a Cold? Here’s How to Tell

A runny nose, sneezing, and congestion might send you to the store for medicine to help you get through the day. But which aisle should you choose? The one with allergy medicine or the one with cold medicine?

While allergies and colds cause similar symptoms, they are caused by different mechanisms and require different treatments.

At Primora Primary Care, we want our patients to know if what they’re dealing with is allergies or a cold. Here’s how to tell.

The causes

Colds and allergies both affect your upper respiratory system, but the reasons they do so are very different.

Colds are caused by your immune system’s response when you catch a contagious virus spread through sneezing, coughing, shaking hands, or touching a contaminated surface. Your immune system does its job to fight off the invader, and your symptoms usually resolve within a couple of weeks.

Allergies are triggered by your immune system’s response to certain foreign substances called allergens, such as pollen, pet dander, or dust. Allergies are not contagious like colds, and symptoms usually do not go away within a couple of weeks.

Symptoms of allergies

Allergies often tend to spring out of nowhere and linger for weeks. Symptoms include itchy eyes, throat, and nose, as well as nasal congestion, sneezing, and coughing. Allergies can last weeks to months, and symptoms are usually worse when you’re outside or when the pollen count is high.

The key symptom is itchy eyes, which are usually not caused by a cold. Allergies also do not cause the fever that is common with a cold.

Symptoms of a cold

Cold symptoms usually develop gradually after exposure to a virus. They can include a sore throat, mild body aches, fatigue, nasal congestion, coughing, sneezing, and a low-grade fever. Symptoms usually resolve within a week or two and don’t last longer than 14 days.

When to see your doctor

In either case, you should see your doctor if you develop a high fever, if over-the-counter medications aren’t helping, or if breathing becomes difficult. At Primora Primary Care, Dr. Varun Kommalapati can assess your symptoms, determine appropriate treatment, and even do allergy testing if necessary.

Whether you’re facing a nasty cold or a strong bout of allergies, our team at Primora Primary Care is here to serve you. To schedule an appointment, call our Bridgeville office or use our online scheduling tool to book your own time.