How do i know if i have allergies?

Question

how do i kno if its a cold or if its allergies sounds dumb but i usally sneeze and get a running nose in one specific area or around strong scents but, i also have cough and sore throat

Answer 1

Your symptoms are very similar to mine and I have allergies and asthma. It's probably worth going to your family doctor to check out (especially to find out if you might have asthma). They'll be able to assess you in person and will have seen a lot of people with allergies. To help you decide here and now, here are my experiences and some pointers I picked up on the way:

My asthma showed itself as a regular cough especially at night and when near stong scents. At the same time my allergies got a lot worse and I got what seemed to be a permanent sore throat. In fact, it was a combination of the asthma and oral allergy syndrome - which basically turned out to mean that I have an allergy to a load of fruit and vegetables when they're raw. My other allergy sysmptoms include: general itchiness - but particularly itchiness of the nose - sneezing, a runny nose and nausea (that one's the food allergies). Other people have itchy or weepy eyes, go into anaphylactic shock, get diahorrhea (that one's food allergies again), get rashes etc. etc. What the allergen does to you is not necessarily the same as what it does to most people with that allergy. Allergies may also feel a lot like a cold, as if allergies bung your nose up that can also make you feel tired and lethargic.

Here are some general tips that might hint to you you have allergies:

* If you have been diagnosed with hayfever (that's an allergy in itself)
* If you have been diagnosed with eczema or asthma - both are often linked to allergies
* If when you take anti-histamines for hayfever some or all of your symptoms disappear
* If some or all of your symptoms consistently turn up at a certain time of year (not necessarily mid-summer, the pollen-part of my allergies flares up in April and early May because of trees then settles down again in mid-summer)
* If you find that moving plants away from your desk/bed and/or completely out of rooms you spend a lot of time in reduces or stops your symptoms
* If you find that you are worse when you spend time with or stroke some sorts of animals (I get a rash if I stroke guinea pigs)
* If you always seem to have a cold.
* If you notice that your symptoms always seem to come on in connection with a certain event (e.g. eating a certain food, using a certain toiletry). The problem with this is, it's often hard to spot what's causing what as there can be a delay of several hours between the event and the symptoms. The advice is not to cut lots of foods out of your diet because you think you might be allergic to them until you've had a skin test (available in the UK via GP referral, but quite hard to get as most GPs seem not to believe in them). I do agree with the food advice because I'm often wrong about what I think is causing my allergies. You'd be surprised what you can be allergic to as well - I never assumed it was possible to be allergic to half the stuff I'm allergic to.

You don't have to have all of the above to have allergies. They are just examples. What you're allergic to and how you react to it are individual.

Answer 2

If its a cold then you will have coughing and sneezing and mucus build up in you body. If its allergies you will have a running nose and you will have a redness around your eyes and your eyes will feel like they will swell shut. I should know. I have allergies and I keep getting the same symptoms. I cough and get a sore throat. Another way that you'll know if you have allergies is that your sinuses will drain and you will be able to feel it in the back of your throat and your stomach will be upset and you won't feel like eating anything.

Answer 3

First off let me tell you you will know the difference between a cold and/or allergies. There are alot of different allergies, some consists of animals, foods and or pollen, weed and etc. You need to probably see an allergy doctor and get tested, it will be worth it in the end. I get seasonal allergies, and let me tell you I suffer too. Yours however sounds like you might have a cold with the sore throat and the sneezes.. You need an antibiotic my friend. Best wishes !!

Answer 4

Oh, you'll feel it. Allergies have their own special feeling to them. You know what a cold feels like, right? You have a runny nose or cough or have a sore throat or sinus headache. Allergies have some of those symptoms, too. But allergies also cause red, watery eyes, hives, and painful pangs in the lung area. Allergies are different. I sneeze from pollen but have trouble breathing after strenuous exercise. Cheers

Answer 5

An allergy symptom usually starts off as a sneeze.

Answer 6

The best way to know for sure is to have allergy testing done. There are tests for environmental and food allergies. You get a few tubes of blood drawn and a labortory exposes the sample to various different things. By doing this, they can determine what exactly you're allergic to.

Answer 7

Allergies tend to occur during seasons when the pollen and mold counts are higher. This is typically in spring and fall. Colds and allergies have similiar symptoms making it sometimes difficult to differentiate. If you want to see what you could be allergic to, you could consult an allergist or have your family physician refer you.

Answer 8

FIRST OF ALL, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TESTED FOR ALLERGIES. THE SOUNDS AS IF YOU DO HAVE SOME ALLERGIES, BUT YOU NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO. IT COULD INVOLVE FOOD AS WELL AS CHEMICAL COMPONENTS THAT YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH EVERYDAY, EVERYWHERE.

Answer 9

you get itchy in places like i do and sneez and get a big red rash

Answer 10

YOU SNEEZE AND COUGH AND FEEL STUFFY !