Your alarm goes off in the morning and you get up to start your day. Yet right away, something doesn’t feel right. Your nose is runny, your sinuses congested, and your eyes are itchy and red. Time to ask yourself: Is this a cold or allergies? For many patients, this distinction isn’t clear. That’s why it’s important to schedule an appointment with your local allergist. These are trained medical professionals dedicated to knowing the difference. Learn more about how to tell if you have a cold or a simple case of allergies. 

Allergies vs. a Cold

These are two fundamentally different conditions even though they create the same result. Contracting a virus causes your body to have a cold. Allergies are the immune system's response to an allergen like pollen or dander. Your body identifies this substance as a threat and kickstarts a response. There is a wide range of allergens and everyone reacts differently to them. 

Allergy Symptoms

• Pay attention to the color of your mucus. It seems gross, but it’s important. Allergies cause your snot to be clear and runny. Yellow or green mucus indicates an infection or cold. 
• Red or itchy eyes aren’t a cold symptom. This is a key identifying factor between a cold and allergies. 
• When you have a cold, you eventually start to feel better. Allergies create the same symptoms at the same threshold every day. You won’t get better or worse. 
• How long have you been feeling sick? A cold clears up within two weeks. On the other hand, allergies can last for a whole season if left untreated. 
• Spring and fall are the worst times for allergies. If you find yourself sneezing more in certain times of the year or situations, consider the possibility of allergies. 

Cold Symptoms

• A low-grade fever, headache, body pains, and a cough are not signs of allergies. Every cold creates different symptoms, so pay attention to how you’re feeling. 
• As mentioned before, when your body is fighting a cold or infection, your mucus changes color. Your immune cells transform your snot into a thick, green, yellow substance. 
• Are your symptoms changing every few days? When you're sick, your condition will change. You may have a stuffy nose one day and a sore throat the next. This change is caused by both the virus progressing and your immune system responding to it. 

What Should I Do Now? 

If you suspect that you have allergies, contact your local allergist right away. Easy and advanced testing identifies what you’re allergic to. From there, your allergist works with you to find an appropriate treatment. If you have a fever over 101 F or symptoms that don’t improve after ten days, schedule an appointment with your doctor. Your body might need something stronger to fight off the infection.