If you've been sneezing and coughing for a couple of weeks now, you may be wondering, "Am I sick or do I have allergies?" Because the common cold and allergies have similar symptoms, it can be hard to figure out.
The main difference between the two is that viruses and bacteria cause colds, and pollen and spores cause allergies. Once viruses get into your immune system, your system quickly attacks the germs, which brings on a response such as coughing or a stuffy nose.
Allergies are caused by an overactive immune system. So your system is actually not doing you any favors this time around. It misidentifies harmless pollen for germs and begins to attack them. As a result, your body releases histamine to block these allergies, causing you to start sneezing and coughing.
If you're not sure whether you are suffering from a cold or allergies, here are three symptoms commonly found in both and the ways they differ:
- Runny nose: When you are suffering from allergies, your mucus will be thin and watery. Yes, we know, this isn't great dinner time conversation, but it's true. When you have a cold, the mucus be much thicker and discolored.
- Aches: If your entire body hurts, there's a good chance you have a cold. Allergies usually only cause pain to be localized around the sinuses.
- Itchy eyes: This symptom can be tricky because if, for example, you have an inflammation of the eye, such as pink eye, your eyes will itch. If you don't have pink eye and your eyes itch and you don't have other symptoms that resemble a cold, you're likely suffering from allergies.
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