When you get a runny nose, you often wonder if you've caught a cold or if this symptom indicates the onset of an allergy. You can find the answer to this question if you carefully analyze your symptoms. You can also seek advice from a specialist and take some tests. Skip to reading the first section to find out more.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: How to Distinguish Similar Symptoms
Step 1. Please note that sneezing is possible both for allergies and colds
During sneezing, one of the natural defense mechanisms of our body, we get rid of foreign particles. This natural reaction comes from both allergens and cold viruses, so sneezing alone usually doesn't tell you whether you have an allergy or a cold. However, if you sneeze and you have other symptoms listed in the section of this article that deals with either colds or allergies, it will be easier for you to guess what you are dealing with.
- When foreign particles (such as pollen or viruses) become stuck on tiny hairs in the nose, known as cilia, they can tickle the nose. Tickling makes you want to sneeze to get rid of these particles. When you sneeze, you get rid of allergens or viruses.
- The most common allergens that cause sneezing include dust, pollen, animal dander, and mold.
Step 2. Look at your mucus as you blow your nose
While it sounds unpleasant, it is a powerful way to determine if you are dealing with a cold or allergies. When a virus infection or allergy occurs, the nose becomes blocked and starts to leak. Take a look at the color when this happens:
- If the mucus is clear, then most likely you are dealing with an allergy.
- A yellow, green, or grayish mucus usually accompanies a cold.
Step 3. Monitor sinus pain
Sinus pain is felt as aching or sharp pain and pressure in the nose, eyes, or forehead. The sinuses are air-filled cavities in the forehead, behind the cheekbones, and between the eyes. Mucus is secreted from the sinuses, which inhibits the penetration of allergens and other foreign bodies.
- If the body's immune system releases histamine, the sinuses can become inflamed, leading to pain in them.
- Colds can also hurt your sinuses. This is due to the virus that causes the common cold, which can infect the sinuses.
Step 4. Consider if you have a sore throat or sore throat
The tonsils are essentially two collections of tissue that filter and trap germs and other microorganisms (such as allergens) when they enter the airways. These clumps of tissue are found in the back of the throat and can also make antibodies to fight infections. If large numbers of germs, such as viruses that cause colds, enter your tonsils, your throat can become sore.
- If you have a sore throat caused by a cold, you are more likely to feel irritation or soreness in your throat. You may have difficulty swallowing.
- If you have a sore throat due to allergies, then you will feel like you want to scratch it, as if your skin was itching.
Step 5. Pay attention to frequent coughing
When your body is fighting a virus or allergens, one of the body’s natural reactions is to cough. In particular, this applies to infections or allergens that have reached the respiratory system.
- A cough caused by a cold can become productive, meaning you cough up phlegm.
- Coughs caused by allergies are usually dry, meaning that there will be no sputum secretion.
Method 2 of 4: How to Recognize Specific Allergy Symptoms
Step 1. Examine your body for signs of a rash
Allergy rashes tend to look like swollen, red bumps or blemishes. When the body produces histamine in response to an allergy, the small blood vessels in the skin can dilate, causing the skin around them to swell and redden.
You can tell if you are allergic thanks to this allergic rash
Step 2. Watch for any itching that occurs
The top layer of the skin (scientifically called the epidermis) contains special nerve fibers called C-fibers that are responsible for the itching sensation. When your body reacts to an allergen, skin cells can become inflamed, in turn affecting or damaging these C-fibers. When this disorder occurs, you feel itchy.
When allergies get worse, itching is most common in parts of the body such as the eyes, nose, ears, throat, lips, or around the mouth
Step 3. Pay attention if you feel short of breath
When the inflammation reaches the airways through which air passes, they narrow. This narrowing of the airways can make you feel like you can't catch your breath or breathe deeply. This is called shortness of breath and can be very dangerous if the inflammation gets worse.
If you have trouble breathing, take an antihistamine (allergy medicine), notify someone of your condition, and go to the hospital if necessary
Step 4. Listen for wheezing and wheezing when breathing
The chemical compound histamine is released into neighboring cells when the body's immune system detects harmful foreign bodies (in this case, allergens). Histamine causes the small blood vessels in the body to expand and become inflamed. When the inflammation reaches the throat and airways, the airway tubes narrow, making it harder to breathe. The result is a high-pitched whistling sound with each breath.
Method 3 of 4: How to recognize specific cold symptoms
Step 1. Know that cold symptoms usually last 2 to 14 days
Cold symptoms become noticeable one to two days after exposure to the virus. If symptoms persist within 14 days, they may be due to an allergy or you may have a bacterial infection.
Step 2. Check if your temperature is too low
If your temperature is somewhere in the range of 37, 2 ° С - 37, 8 ° С - then you have a low temperature. When the body begins to fight off an infection, such as the common cold virus, it releases pyrogens, which raise the body temperature.
Many microorganisms, including some viruses that cause colds, cannot survive this rise in temperature
Step 3. Watch for mild tiredness and muscle soreness
The infection may make you feel tired and weak. This is because muscles can become inflamed as the body fights off an infection. This inflammation can be interpreted by the brain as pain, leading to feelings of fatigue and discomfort.
Step 4. Pay attention to whether you have lost your appetite
As the body fights off infection, normal eating habits can change. In particular, this applies to times when you have a fever. If your body temperature rises, the enzymes in your taste buds stop working, which in turn makes you not feel like eating.
Step 5. Check your eyes for watering
If you have a cold, infection can clog your tear ducts and become inflamed. This means that tears can build up in the eyes and cause them to water excessively.
The lacrimal gland is also known as glandula lacrimalis
Method 4 of 4: Take Diagnostic Tests
Step 1. Get an injection skin test to see if you have any allergies
This procedure is performed in order to quickly establish the presence of an allergy. A few drops containing the allergen are applied to the skin. The doctor will then pierce the skin with a needle and wait to see if any rash appears around the area. Common allergens tested this way:
- Dust, pollen, animal hair and food.
- Food provocation is another test that is used exclusively for food allergies. The test is only done in a doctor's office and can be risky. During the test, they give some food that may be allergic and watch for signs of an allergic reaction.
Step 2. Try eliminating foods from your diet to determine if you are allergic to certain foods
If you think you have a food allergy, you can talk to your doctor about eliminating certain foods from your diet that may cause allergies. This method works on the following principle: you need to focus on eliminating a certain group of foods every week, so you can determine the cause of the allergy. You need to take turns eating food groups until you figure out which food is causing the symptoms.
Foods that commonly cause allergies include eggs, nuts, wheat, milk and soy
Step 3. Ask your doctor to take a throat swab to determine if you have a cold
A throat swab is taken to find out which pathogen is causing the common cold. The doctor gently runs a sterile cotton swab along the inside of the throat. This can be frustrating, but it can help you find the right treatment if you really have a cold and not an allergy.
After collecting a sufficient amount of the sample on the swab, the doctor will send it to the laboratory for testing
Step 4. Try to identify the presence of a cold with a nasal swab
Just as when taking a swab from the throat with a swab, mucus is collected from the nose. Again, only a doctor can do this. After collecting a sufficient amount of the sample, the doctor will send it to the laboratory for testing.
Results usually come in 48 hours and you can ask your doctor at your next visit
Step 5. Get a blood test if you suspect you have a severe allergy
When you see your doctor, the nurse will take a blood sample from you. This sample will be sent to the laboratory for analysis. The blood will be exposed to different types of allergens so that the doctor can figure out what you are allergic to.