What is the difference between the common cold and allergies?

Question

I know this question sounds stupid but when I tell people I have a cold I always hear "It could be allergies." I know the cold is the rhinovirus and an allergy is not a virus. My question is, are there different symptoms for a cold vs. allergies? I really don't think I am allergic to anything but I am curious about how people come to that conclusion.

They seem to have the same symptoms, so how do you know what it really is?

Answer 1

The people you are talking to don't really know--it could be either and the symptoms are similar. They probably either think its weird that you have a cold when no one else does in the middle of summer, or they suffer from allergies and know its a bad time for them in your area. But if you keep having symptoms but don't ever attempt to treat allergies, its worth a try.

If you get the symptoms for a little while and they are gone in a week or so, it is probably a cold. If you feel like you are never getting rid of your cold--you have it for weeks, it's probably allergies. If it gets worse in certain places or environments (indoors-especially if it is some indoor places and not others, freshly cut grass, woods), it's probaby allergies. To see what you are allergic to, you have to see a doctor and have them test you.

If you don't want to do that, try taking allegra or claritin instead of cold medicine and see if that helps. Those drugs stop the things you are allergic to from affecting you as badly--they make you less sensitive to them. Cold medicines don't cure anything (there's no cure for colds yet), they just make you less miserable.

Answer 2

Cold or Allergies? The similarities between them can lead to confusion about which you are suffering from. One can easily mistake an allergy for a cold, or vice versa. Yet left untreated, allergies can cause more serious conditions such as sinusitis or ear infections.

"The main difference between a cold and an allergy is the length of time the symptoms last. While a cold will last a week, allergies can last longer than that," stated Allen D. Adinoff, MD FAAAAI in an AAAAI 2003 news release. "Get a proper diagnosis on your condition before you begin treatment."

Allergies Symptoms: Runny or stuffed nose, sneezing, wheezing, watery and itchy eyes, sore/scratchy throat from drainage, headache.
Cold Symptoms: Can include fever, aches and pains, sore and scratchy throat along with allergy symptoms.
Allergy Warning Time: Symptoms begin almost immediately after exposure to allergen(s).
Cold Warning Time:Usually takes a few days.
Allergy Duration: Symptoms last as long as you are exposed to the allergen, and beyond. If the allergen is present year-round, symptoms may be chronic.
Cold Duration: Symptoms should clear up within several days to a week.

Here is a simple test for home. Take and antihistimine, if your symptoms are reduced then you probably have an allergy.

Answer 3

well, it depends on the time of year too. if it is spring and you have a "cold" you could be reacting to pollen. winter, it could be the dust from being indoors all the time. do you have pets? mold in the house?
i am always suffereing from nasal problems, but it's because i have nasal polyps and allergies from dust and pet dander.
i would look into it, but only if you have what you think is a cold all the time--if it only happens once or twice a year for 3 days, then it would be a cold. allergy sufferers will suffer all season long(or as long as they are in contact with the irratant like pets) until they get medication. good luck.

Answer 4

With allergies, you will scratch your nose and eyes and throat and ears. Everything is itchy and it lasts for several weeks.

With a cold you'll just be sneezing and it should be over in a few days or a week or so.

Answer 5

they don't have the same symptoms--runny nose and sneezing is the only thing they really have in common

a 'cold' is produced by a rhinovirus, a microorganism

allergies are produced by a hyper-sensitive immune response of your body to an outside stimulus

there couldn't be more of a difference, you probably have environmental allergies (pollen, dust, mold, etc.)

edit: umm no.... to the poster two posts down from me, a cold CANNOT be caused by allergies, I don't know wtf you dug that up from, but that just isn't true...

Answer 6

Allergies will have more symtom than cold.
Cold will just be cold, and can be caused by allergies.