How to distinguish allergy from colds - what is the difference

Sometimes my state of affairs leads us to a dead end. If the nose is flowing from the nose, the eyes are red, you want to sneeze constantly, do not immediately understand that it is an allergy or SARS? How to understand what exactly is happening in the body, after all, these ailments are treated differently? Further in the article, we will try to understand in more detail how to distinguish the allergy from a cold in an adult or child.

The role of immunity in allergic reactions

In our country, it has long been accepted among those suffering from allergies to suspect weak immunity and try to strengthen it in every possible way with immunostimulating drugs, vitamins, etc. But the point is that it is precisely these actions that help its symptoms to be even more pronounced. Therefore, in order to understand how to distinguish an allergy from a cold, you first need to figure out how immunity works in the first case and why it declares war on harmless substances.

Allergy is a strong immune response to an irritant. That is, poplar fluff, ragweed pollen, fruit or vegetables the organism perceives as a danger and is being taken to fight them.

As it turns out, it is guilty of this general predilection for excessive personal cleanliness and sterility in the rooms, especially in the room of a young child. And this, it turns out, can play in the future a cruel joke - the immunity, which is genetically programmed to live in a cave and contact with three billion microorganisms, turns out to be deprived of work and therefore simply "rushes" at anything that slightly resembles an "enemy."

So the allergy is formed. For many, it acquires a seasonal character - that is, at a certain time of the year (by the way, not necessarily at the time of flowering), a person receives a set of symptoms similar to the signs of a cold.

Features of allergy

And sometimes it's hard to understand how to distinguish an allergy from a cold, because their symptoms are very similar: sneezing, redness and swelling of the mucous membranes, runny nose, swelling in the throat.

But the main difference is still there: with allergy the temperature does not rise, and the mucus secreted from the nose remains transparent. The general condition is disturbed poorly, and the appetite, as a rule, does not suffer.

In addition, with allergies, there are frequent changes in the patient's condition. That is, depending on the presence or absence of contact with the allergen, his condition can suddenly change - he, for example, can sneeze and blow his nose off while on the street, and after entering the house, after a while it already seems absolutely healthy. Viruses, of course, do not behave this way: they attack with enviable regularity.

What is characteristic of the common cold

What is commonly referred to as a common cold is the result of a viral or bacterial infection. It usually occurs against a background of hypothermia or decreased immunity due to already existing chronic diseases and other factors.

By the way, how to distinguish a common cold from allergies, it is usually not very difficult to understand. After all, acute respiratory infections are accompanied by completely certain symptoms, which are not present with allergies:

• Sensation of aching muscles,
• General malaise, headache,
• a sore throat,
• temperature increase,
• The patient is disturbed by the appetite,
• Discharge from the nose have a greenish or yellowish tinge.

By the way, a cold man does not sneeze too often, while an allergic person can give out whole attacks of "sneeze".

The course of acute respiratory viral infection, as a rule, does not exceed 10 days (with complications - two weeks), and an allergic rhinitis can disturb for a month, and more - depending on the contact with the allergen and the timeliness of taking the right drugs.

How to distinguish allergy from colds in a child

So, our passion for purity and the desire to protect the child from microbes, as already mentioned above, have led to the fact that modern children are very often allergic. Their "starved" immunity perceives as an enemy any microorganism and declares war on it. By the way, it is proved that light-skinned and fair-haired children have a greater propensity to allergy in comparison with their dark-haired peers.

Of course, mothers are experiencing, trying to understand how to distinguish the allergy from a cold in the baby. After all, he can not describe his state of health, and unreasonable intake of antiviral agents can aggravate the existing allergic reaction, which caused a runny nose and cough. Well, we'll have to watch him.

With allergies the baby, as a rule, reddened eyes, they sour, eyelids become swollen, in addition, a noticeably strong lachrymation. With a common cold, this usually does not happen. Often, these symptoms are accompanied by rashes on the skin - and all this means that you should urgently contact an allergist to prevent the pathological condition from developing into a serious problem.

A few words about the danger of an allergic reaction

Many, even learning how to distinguish allergy from cold, try not to pay attention to it. But this is a serious mistake! Untreated allergic rhinitis in more than 40% of cases develops into bronchial asthma. Not to mention the risk of Quincke's edema or anaphylactic shock.

If you have seasonal allergies, you need to visit a doctor one month before the start of a dangerous period for you and start taking prescribed medications at least 3 weeks before the first manifestations of pathology.

Typically, the specialist appoints not only generic drugs, but also local antihistamines, so-called kramons, which help to significantly reduce allergic manifestations.

Once again on how to distinguish allergy from colds

What is the difference between an allergy and a cold you probably already understood. And still, once again, we list the main differences:

• For allergies is characteristic of pruritus (in the eyes - with allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis or on the skin - with hives);
• Discharge from the nose look different;
• The raised or increased temperature is characteristic only for ORVI (the truth she can in some cases accompany a urticaria and allergodermatoses);
• Pain in the throat, aches, weakness, headache are symptoms of a viral infection.

So, before you start treatment, be sure to understand the true nature of your illness. However, in some cases, the allergy and cold can be and are related. How?

Communication of colds and allergies

Everyone knows that viruses, affecting the mucous membranes and spreading in the body, can cause an immune response in the form of an allergic reaction. But, it turns out, and the allergy, if not properly treated, can lead to the development of somatic pathologies - sinusitis or bronchitis.

For example, with an allergic rhinitis on the nasal mucosa, there is edema, because of which a part of the mucus has no outlet and accumulates in the maxillary sinuses. And here already a favorable environment for the development of bacteria is formed, which causes sinusitis. Therefore, in neglected cases, even doctors can not immediately answer how to distinguish allergy from colds.

But if you do not allow this and ask for help in time, then it will be much easier to understand the situation, and the use of the prescribed funds will greatly facilitate your life and preserve your health. Do not be ill!