In the boxing ring of your health, allergies and colds are fierce opponents with their own set of fighting styles.  Although they have similar symptoms, allergies and colds are not the same.  Knowing more about the differences between these contenders can give you the upper hand to knock them right out of the ring!

Allergy and cold stats

They each, of course, have bragging rights that they won’t hesitate to tout.  Here are a few noteworthy statistics they carry:

• A total of 8-10% of the global population suffers from one or more allergic diseases.¹
• Allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States.²
• Colds can be caused by more than 200 different viruses.³
• On average, adults get two to four colds per year, while children get six to eight of them.³

But don’t let these numbers intimidate you!  To strategically defend against them, you need to learn more about the opponents.

What are allergies?

An allergy occurs when the body’s immune system sees a substance as harmful and overreacts to it, causing an allergic reaction.⁴  For example, if you have an allergy to pollen, your immune system identifies pollen as an invader or allergen.⁵  Allergic reaction symptoms may last for weeks, or even months until you are no longer around the allergen that is triggering them.

This agile lightweight contender will float around the ring with jabs of:⁶

• Sneezing
• Runny/Stuffy nose
• Cough
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Hives

Check out “Allergy Types and Symptoms” to arm yourself with more information on types of allergies and their symptoms.

What is a cold?

A common cold is a minor infection caused by a virus or germ.³ It is a contagious illness affecting the nose and throat.  Most people can recover from a cold in seven to 10 days.⁷

This seasoned heavyweight challenger may knock you down temporarily with the following:⁷

• Sneezing
• Runny/Stuffy Nose
• Cough
• Sore or scratchy throat
• Slight body aches or a mild headache
• Low-grade fever

Differences between allergies and colds

Being aware of the differences in their symptoms can help you better find the best treatment and ultimately the relief that you are looking for. 

Here is how they stack up against each other.

Chart data⁸

Another notable difference is that a cold usually doesn’t last longer than 10 days while allergy symptoms may linger until the exposure to the allergen decreases.⁸

Allergy and cold treatment

Once the contenders have entered the ring, you will want nothing more than to mitigate the symptoms that are causing you grief.  Here are a few ways to dull the blow and go for that W.

How to treat allergies

For allergies, the first step on the road to the best plan for symptom management is to identify and avoid the allergic trigger.  Testing for allergen sensitization can help you identify the trigger so you can take specific steps to help mitigate exposure.   Over-the-counter antihistamines can help block the histamines released by the body when an allergic reaction occurs.  Nasal saline sprays and oral decongestants can also help.⁹

How to treat a cold

Treatment for a common cold mostly involves managing the symptoms while the body does its job to fight off the virus.  Some over-the-counter medications (not for children under the age of 6), if taken as directed, can potentially ease symptoms and reduce a fever if needed.  Nasal sprays and decongestants can help alleviate nasal congestion and sinus pressure while cough syrups can help with coughing.  Often, the best “medicine” is time, rest, and hydration. ¹⁰

Allergy and cold prevention

If you are more of a lover and not a fighter, there are ways to help prevent battling allergies and colds before symptoms have set in.  Here are a few preventative tips that can help reduce your chances of hitting the symptom phase.

How to minimize allergy symptoms

• Chat with your healthcare provider about symptoms and testing options.
  •  Here is an allergy symptom tracker to document your specific symptoms so that you can have a productive conversation with your healthcare provider.
• If/when an allergen trigger is identified, make adjustments to help mitigate exposure.
  • Allergen exposure reduction plans can be developed with your healthcare provider for symptom relief.
  • This will vary based on the specific allergen.  Check out this article for more on How to Deal with Allergies.

How to prevent a cold

• Wash those hands!  This can cut down on germ spreading.
  • Grab some hand sanitizer when you are on the go.
• If hands are unwashed, stay away from touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
• If someone has cold-type symptoms, try to avoid coming into close contact with them.¹¹

Allergy testing options

Specifically for allergies, there are a few options for testing that include blood tests and skin-prick tests (SPTs).  Along with your medical history, the test results are reviewed by your healthcare provider to help establish an accurate diagnosis.  With this diagnosis, you and your healthcare provider can create a custom plan to effectively manage your symptoms.   

A blood test serves as a powerful diagnostic tool that can identify sensitization to many potential allergens.  It can detect sensitizations to pollens, molds, animal dander, dust mites, insect venoms, some medications, and more. 

Learn more about allergy testing options and how to get an allergy test.

Importance of consulting a healthcare provider

As we have learned, colds and allergies can share similar symptoms, so it is important to consult a healthcare provider (the coach in your corner!) for an exam and proper diagnosis.  This will allow them to recommend the best treatment plan to get you back into the ring in no time.