Is it a Cold or Allergies? Here’s What You Need to Know

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

From the LifeMinute.TV Team

September 13, 2024

As the seasons change, it can be difficult to know if allergies or the common cold cause your sniffles. Board-certified in allergy and immunology, and ZYRTEC partner, Dr. Tania Elliott stopped by to share the scoop on how to effectively tell the difference and share tips to help you and your family navigate symptoms and get you back to feeling your best selves.

How do we determine if the symptoms someone is experiencing are caused by allergies or the common cold? Based on the early symptoms, it can be hard to decipher between allergies and a cold. Symptoms of both can include a runny or stuffy nose and sneezing. While you might think it’s a cold, in colder months, allergies can be triggered all year. It's important to know what you’re dealing with to ensure you get the best possible treatment.

There are three easy ways to tell the difference. First, a cold can cause a mild fever and physical discomfort. Allergies will not cause a fever or swollen lymph nodes. Second, allergy symptoms develop immediately after exposure to allergy triggers such as dander, dust, and pollen. In the fall especially, ragweed pollen is prominent across the country and a common outdoor trigger for allergy symptoms. Cold symptoms develop slower and are milder in the beginning. Lastly, cold symptoms typically last 7-10 days, while allergies can last longer and/or be recurrent if allergens are present. In fact, fall allergy season can persist until the first frost.

If you think you’re struggling with these symptoms, it's helpful to see a doctor to decide on possible treatment to relieve your symptoms. Rest, hydration, and good hygiene are all important, whether it's allergies or a cold. The first line of treatment is avoidance of triggers, so take a shower as soon as you get home to rinse off pollen, launder your clothes right away, and use an air purifier. However, if allergy symptoms persist, Dr. Elliott tells her patients they don’t need to, and shouldn’t, suffer through it. By treating your allergy symptoms, you can get back to doing the things you love, without allergy symptoms getting in the way. That’s why she recommends ZYRTEC to her patients. It’s the #1 allergist-recommended brand among OTC oral antihistamines with a wide variety of products for the whole family.

For those on-the-go, ZYRTEC Dissolve Tabs dissolve instantly in your mouth, with no water needed, and they provide fast, 24-hour relief from both indoor and outdoor allergies starting at hour 1 to help treat those allergy symptoms like runny nose, and sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes, nose and throat.

And for your kids, Children’s ZYRTEC is available in a variety of forms and flavors all of which provide 24-hour relief from indoor & outdoor allergies, suitable for ages 2+. While allergies and colds share many symptoms, antihistamines like ZYRTEC directly block the histamine molecules that trigger allergy symptoms. Cold medicines without an antihistamine are not designed for allergies, so they will not block those histamine molecules and will not be as effective if allergies are causing your symptoms.

As for colds, rest is vitally important, as well as hydration and stress reduction. When we are stressed, our immune system doesn’t work as well. Now is a great time to pick up a meditation practice or incorporate daily exercise into your routine to help prevent a cold. Talk to your healthcare provider about the right treatment option based on your cold symptoms.