Is it a Cold or Allergies? Here’s How to Easily Tell the Difference

Board-certified in allergy and immunology, Dr. Tania Elliott shares three easy ways to tell the difference.

Transcript

00:00How do you tell the difference between cold and allergies?

00:06Because it can be really confusing, right?

00:08Itchy eyes, runny nose, congestion, post-nasal drip.

00:10So three easy ways to tell the difference.

00:12Number one, allergies typically do not cause a fever or swollen lymph nodes.

00:16So if you have a fever or your neck is hurting and your glands are swollen,

00:19the likelihood is it's a cold.

00:21Number two, the timing of your symptoms.

00:23Allergies happen after you're exposed to a trigger.

00:26So if it's when you're around your pet or right when you go outside

00:29or right when you wake up in the morning.

00:31Whereas with a cold, the symptoms will last throughout the course of the day

00:35and won't really wax or wane.

00:37Number three is the duration of your symptoms.

00:39How long it's lasting.

00:41So typically a cold lasts seven to ten days.

00:43Allergies can last weeks and even months.

00:46And fall allergy season lasts all the way up until the first frost.

00:50So what can we do about it?

00:52The first thing is to understand what your triggers are and then avoid those triggers.

00:56So if you're experiencing symptoms when you're around your pets,

00:59keep your pet outside of the bedroom.

01:01If you're experiencing symptoms when you're outside,

01:04when you come inside, you want to take off your shoes and leave them at the front door.

01:07You want to take off your clothes, throw them in the washing machine and wash them off.

01:11You want to take a shower, rinse off all that pollen.

01:14Have an air filter that's appropriate for the size of your home.

01:17Vacuum once a week with a HEPA vacuum.

01:20Wash your sheets once a week on the highest heat setting.

01:22Then when it comes to symptom management, I recommend an antihistamine like Zyrtec.

01:28Antihistamines block the release of a chemical called histamine from your allergy cells.

01:32And histamines is what's responsible for itching, swelling, redness and congestion.

01:37I'm a big fan of Zyrtec Dissolve tablets because they dissolve instantly in your mouth

01:42and you don't need any water.

01:43So they're great for on-the-go.

01:45And they start within one hour and last for a full 24 hours.

01:49And they also have children's Zyrtec in a variety of forms and flavors,

01:53which provide 24-hour relief from indoor and outdoor allergies suitable for ages 2 and older.

01:58Now, if you have a cold, I cannot stress the importance of stress reduction,

02:03both on your physical body as well as mentally,

02:05especially as we're dealing with back to school and then the holidays right around the corner.

02:10Also, rest and hydration are key.