Allergies vs. Head Cold - how do you know?

[Star Gazer]

How can you tell the difference between a severe case of allergies and an actual cold? I'm suffering...

[hotgurl]

How can you tell the difference between a severe case of allergies and an actual cold? I'm suffering...

 

I know but it is really gross.

[Star Gazer]

I know but it is really gross.

 

Tell me, please!

[hotgurl]

ok

 

when you blow your nose if it is allergies the snot is clearish.

 

If you have a cold it is yellowish sometimes yellow greensih.

 

see gross.

[Star Gazer]

Kinda gross, but nothing that skeeves me out! That's what I had thought too... but... it's yellow first thing in the morning, after sitting up in my sinuses all day. But then for the rest of the day it's clear.

[hotgurl]

Kinda gross, but nothing that skeeves me out! That's what I had thought too... but... it's yellow first thing in the morning, after sitting up in my sinuses all day. But then for the rest of the day it's clear.

 

than I would go with allergies. What are the other syptoms?

[Star Gazer]

I had a sore throat, but that's gone. I have tons of sinus pressure. Yesterday I felt almost flu-like (achy/tired), but that passed. Very slightly elevated temperature too...

[hotgurl]

I had a sore throat, but that's gone. I have tons of sinus pressure. Yesterday I felt almost flu-like (achy/tired), but that passed. Very slightly elevated temperature too...

 

you should try some allergy meds. Just be sure to get the good stuff behind the counter.

[hotgurl]

you could also try an air purifier in your bedroom.

[carhill]

My money is on a sinus infection. Easy way to tell is to hit it with a strong antibiotic. If it goes away, infection. If not, virus. Generally, viruses will resolve in a week or so. Infections and/or allergies go on far longer.

 

If you don't normally have such issues, I'd attend to it immediately, as such infections can cause sinus damage and/or create other health issues due to the nature of sinus infections.

 

I had a real bad infection while caregiving and didn't treat it immediately, though finally knocked it down with Cipro, but now I have allergies/sensitivities, something I have never had. It rained yesterday (molds) and today I feel a bit light-headed and clogged up. It's transitory but annoying.

 

Hope you feel better soon.

[Art_Critic]

Sounds like your pregnant

 

Allergies can also cause a sinus infection...

so it could be either or both.

 

I always give it a few days and see if a fever persists.. if it does then it most likely is an infection.

 

As far as if it's a cold/virus.. only time will tell..

In either case a decongestant can help..

[Els]

Allergies don't usually remain for the whole day, for days unless you're outdoors or inside the same place all day. There's also usually some sort of eye itching, and an elevated temperature is nearly impossible (though a woman's baseline body temp changes based on her cycle so that'd depend on how elevated). No achiness either.

 

If your mucus is purulent and yellowish, it is definitely a cold. If it is clear and watery, it could be an early phase of the cold, or an allergy. Slight fever, sore throat and muscle aches are quite common in colds too.

 

Pretty sure it's a cold in your case. Or a variation thereof - but definitely caused by a bacterial/viral infection as opposed to an allergy.

Edited May 19, 2010 by Elswyth

[Star Gazer]

Elsweth: Thing is, I know I have allergies. It's the damn trees!! And it keeps raining on and off so everything's a growin'! I'm sneezing up a storm and have an itchy FACE, not just eyes. Most people I know have allergies right now, and they do last all day unless I'm taking 24-hour Claritin.

 

I'm wondering though if the totality of my symptoms are just allergies, or allergies and something more (cold, sinus infection, etc.).

[sally4sara]

Yeah, its the itchiness that clues me in. Itchy burning eyes and other areas depending on what the allergy it to.

[laRubiaBonita]

i am betting it's a cold. my H has a cold right now that sounds exactly like what you are going through.... stuffy nose, head ache, achey, cough, sneezy.....

 

i had a cold earlier in the season and thought it was allergies- i do have some allergies, but never so bad i have to take anything. i usually just get puffy eyes and maybe itchy eyes and nose.

 

my cold was stuffy nose, sore throat and sneezing- i RARELY sneeze. my sister had the same cold at the time so we were both unsure whether it was allegies or a cold- so she took cold meds and i took allergy meds to compare.

 

she felt better with the cold meds- i felt the same with allergy meds.

[Els]

Elsweth: Thing is, I know I have allergies. It's the damn trees!! And it keeps raining on and off so everything's a growin'! I'm sneezing up a storm and have an itchy FACE, not just eyes. Most people I know have allergies right now, and they do last all day unless I'm taking 24-hour Claritin.

 

I'm wondering though if the totality of my symptoms are just allergies, or allergies and something more (cold, sinus infection, etc.).

 

Oh, I see. Don't live in a temperate country though so not familiar with seasonal patterns - we don't have pollen season and whatnot here.

 

If your mucus is distinctly yellow and thick even SOMEtimes though, it's a distinct clue to a bacterial/viral infection. There is no way allergy alone can cause purulent yellow mucus. So probably cold + allergy in your case.

[Star Gazer]

Oh, I see. Don't live in a temperate country though so not familiar with seasonal patterns - we don't have pollen season and whatnot here.

 

Count yourself lucky! May is the absolute worst here... I've sneezed 20 times already today, and it's only noon! A clerk outside my door sneezes every 15 minutes, 3 times each! It's horrible!

 

There is no way allergy alone can cause purulent yellow mucus. So probably cold + allergy in your case.

 

I see. Boo.

[Els]

Why not stick to the Claritin, then? I would if I had allergic rhinitis that couldn't be stopped any other way. I actually DO have it too, but mine can mostly be avoided if I stick to dust-free and pet-free places. Am pretty afraid of what will happen when I leave for the bf's country.

 

If there was an infectious cold though Claritin wouldn't usually help much with it, gotta get Clarinase/Actifed instead.

[laRubiaBonita]

i like tylenol cold and sinus..... or just try some ibuprofen for the aches and fever. Bump up your vit. C too!

 

allergy meds tend to make me feel loopy(esp. suddifed) and in a way worse than just dealing with allergies.... claritin makes me extremely dry and dehydrates me.

[Star Gazer]

Why not stick to the Claritin, then? I would if I had allergic rhinitis that couldn't be stopped any other way. I actually DO have it too, but mine can mostly be avoided if I stick to dust-free and pet-free places. Am pretty afraid of what will happen when I leave for the bf's country.

 

I just started taking it, and it takes a few days for it to start working really well - for me, anyway.

 

The worst is when I'm sneezing and driving in traffic, or trying to exit the freeway in a curve - scary!

[Els]

Funny, Claritin only contains loratadine - an antihistamine, really shouldn't make you feel dry. Clarinase might because it contains the decongestant pseudoephedrine... but Tylenol Cold & Sinus contains the same thing.

[Star Gazer]

I take Claritin-D... it has the decongestant in it.

 

But clearly right now, nearly is working!

[Els]

That's nice! Hope you feel better soon.

[Star Gazer]

That's nice! Hope you feel better soon.

 

You know how you can be thinking one thing and typing another? Well, I just did that. I don't know how I managed to mess it up, but I did not mean:

 

"But clearly right now, nearly is working!"

 

I meant:

 

"But clearly right now, it is not working!"

 

[laRubiaBonita]

You know how you can be thinking one thing and typing another? Well, I just did that. I don't know how I managed to mess it up, but I did not mean:

 

"But clearly right now, nearly is working!"

 

I meant:

 

"But clearly right now, it is not working!"

 

 

aRe YOu LoOpY......