It’s that time of year when noses run, throats get scratchy, and who the heck knows if they’re showing up to work with your average run of the mill seasonal allergies or bringing in a cold and infecting the whole office…
Can you tell the difference between a cold and allergies?
We once thought an easy tell-tale sign was the color of your mucus when you blow your nose – color is a cold (or sinus infection, etc) whereas allergies are clear so you’re coworkers are in the clear. However, that’s not always the case. Beginning stages of a cold can still run clear when you blow your nose, and prolonged allergy suffering can induce colored mucus, soooooo yeaaahhhhh…
Some people get the “sick smell” that helps take the guess work out of the whole “is it a cold or allergies” internal debate, but not everyone. If you or a family/friend get the sick smell, you totally get what we’re talking about. There’s just no way to really describe this scent in all its putrid glory.
Similarities between colds and allergies are: a runny nose, nasal congestion, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, post-nasal drip, and/or conjunctivitis.
Some differences to notice in deciphering between allergy or cold symptoms are:
- Itchy, watery eyes often roll with allergies
- Fevers can occur with a severe cold, especially in children, but are not an allergy symptom
- Sore throats can occur with allergies due to post-nasal drip irritation, but are more common with colds
- Body aches may be common with a cold, but won’t typically occur with allergies
- Cold symptoms last about 7-10 days, where allergies may last several weeks (or even longer if the allergen is still present.
- If symptoms appear suddenly, they’re more likely allergies
- If symptoms came on gradually over a day or two, then a cold may be the culprit
Do you have tell-tale signs to help you decipher between a cold or allergies, like the above mentioned sick smell? Do you carry Clorox Wipes with you when a coworker shows the slightest sign of a possible infection?
