Is It A Cold Or Allergies? And Either Way What Do I Do?
Fall seems to be the perfect season for sneezing and wheezing. Why is that? How can you tell if it is seasonal allergy or a common cold?
Fall is prime ragweed season throughout North America. The term ragweed is used to refer to any of a number of plants in the Ambrosia genus. The most common of these plants in the United States is the Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia). These plants are loosely related to the sunflowers and grow on roadsides, in vacant lots, along streams and in sunny fields. In the fall, they reproduce by spreading billions of small pollens through the air. Any one of these pollen particles is capable of producing an allergic reaction in the affected person. Also blooming at the same time is an unrelated plant, Goldenrod that often gets blamed for seasonal allergies. The poor Goldenrod gets a bum rap. It has yellow, waxy pollen that is spread by insects. Goldenrod pollen is not airborne and does not contribute to hay fever. Give Goldenrod a break!
At the same time that the rag weeds are having wild air-borne sex with their pollens, children are going back to school and staying in close contact to each other. Along with the return to school is the return of sneezing, runny noses and itchy and watery eyes. Colds are caused by viruses. Young children have more colds than older children and adults because their immune systems are still developing defenses to these hundreds of viruses. The cold virus likes the nose and throat. When children cough or sneeze they get the virus on their hands. When they touch other children, toys, or furniture they pass on the viruses. The virus sits awaiting its next victim to come along and touch where the virus is located and then touch their own mouth, nose, or eyes.
If both seasonal allergy and the common cold cause sneezing and runny noses, how can you hope to tell the difference? The easiest way is to grab a thermometer and take your temperature. A cold will cause a fever. Allergy never causes a fever. Do you feel achy all over? If so, grab the non-aspirin pain reliever, not the Benadryl because you have a cold and not allergy. Colds cause aches and pains, allergies do not. Headaches are common with colds, but uncommon with allergies. The exception is when allergy is uncontrolled and an infection of the sinus cavities occurs. Do your eyes itch? If so, that is allergy as colds rarely cause itchy eyes. While a cough is rare in allergy it is pretty standard for a cold. A cold comes on and the symptoms progressively get worse. The duration is 7 to 10 days. Allergy lasts as long as you are exposed to the allergen. The symptoms only come and go if the exposure comes and goes. While a cold can frequently cause you to feel lightheaded or dizzy, allergies do not. The same cannot be said for all allergy medicines.
You cant really treat a cold. Time is the only cure. It must run its course. However, you can treat the symptoms. A non aspirin pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen will lessen the aches and pains and help to bring the fever down. You can take an over the counter decongestant to relieve nasal symptoms. Chicken soup not only is comforting, but the steam can relieve dry nasal passages.
To avoid colds, avoid sick people as much as possible. Wash hands frequently with warm water and soap. Keep your hands away from your mouth and nose and keep your fingers crossed.
Allergy is a chronic condition and cannot be cured. However, the symptoms can be reduced or eliminated by reducing or eliminating exposure to the allergen. For pollen this is easier to accomplish than you might think.
Since the troublesome pollens are airborne, stay inside on windy days. The highest concentrations of pollen in the air are early in the morning and in the evening. When the humidity is high or after a rain, there are fewer pollen particles in the air. Keep doors and windows closed if possible. If not possible, install special air filtering screens that will allow air inside but keep the pollens out. The Micro-Air Screen can be adjusted to many size windows. You can review the product at http://www.allergystore.com/microairscreen.htm.
If you have an air conditioner, keep it on and make sure it is using a filter with a MERV8 rating. If you have pets, keep them inside also. Pets bring in pollen on their fur. If you must be outside when it is windy, then wear a pollen filtering mask like the Q-Mask (http://www.allergystore.com/dustcontrol.htm) and change your clothes and wash your hair as soon as you come inside. Do not hang laundry out to dry during pollen season.
Armed with a little knowledge you can battle fall colds and allergies.
Cheryl Krause - CEO and President of Cee DeeKay, Inc.
Cheryl has owned and operated the Allergy Store in Plantation Florida for the past 10 years. My goal is to help allergy, asthma sufferers as well as those who just want a healthier place to live and work.
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