We had very little frost in Salem this year, meaning plants popped up sooner, and allergy season arrived faster and with more force than in years prior. But cold season isn’t loosening its grip, either. If you’ve got a sniffly nose, you may be unsure whether it’s being caused by the pollen or a virus. Here are some ways to tell the difference.
Itchiness vs. Soreness
While allergies and the common cold have many symptoms in common and feel very similar, there is one word that can help you figure it out: itchiness. Allergy symptoms are caused when the immune system releases chemicals called histamines, which trigger inflammation and cause the itchy, tingling feeling in your nose, eyes and skin1.
For the common cold, the immune system deploys white blood cells, which do not cause that itchy feeling. Rather, you’re more likely to feel pressure, aches or soreness in the areas of your symptoms.
Localized vs. Whole-Body Symptoms
When viruses enter your body, they begin to reproduce and spread. Pollen does not. Therefore, another key differentiator between allergies and a cold is how far-reaching the symptoms are. If they stay in your nose, eyes and throat—the places where pollen can enter—it’s probably just allergies. But if your stuffy nose turns into a deep, hacking cough, that type of symptom spread suggests it’s a cold.
Sudden vs. Gradual
Another thing to consider is how quickly your symptoms take hold. Colds usually start with one or two symptoms, such as a sore throat or stuffy nose, and develop over the course of a few days as the virus spreads, bringing in more symptoms and growing more uncomfortable. If that’s what’s happening with you, it’s probably a cold. However, if symptoms hit all at once and then didn’t spread or become more prominent, but last all season or as long as you’re in contact with a trigger, it’s more likely to be allergies.
Finding Relief
We hope this helped you identify the cause of your annoying symptoms, since the treatment you use will depend on which malady haunts you. A cold can be treated with mild pain relievers and decongestants, and they should clear up in a few days to a week. Allergies don’t clear up until you stop encountering your allergic trigger(s), so avoid them wherever possible and use over-the-counter allergy relief, such as antihistamines and nasal sprays, to alleviate symptoms.
If your allergy symptoms are impacting your daily life, talk to an allergist about prescription allergy management or other types of allergy treatment. We at Willamette ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery are here to help you get the lasting allergy relief you need.
Learn More
1 Cleveland Clinic. (2023, March 28). Histamine. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24854-histamine
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