Winter allergies and the common cold are two things you should watch out for during cold and flu season.
Every season change always brings with it the question of whether your symptoms are related to allergies, or an actual cold virus. As mothers, we face this situation more often since our children spend all day at school being introduced to all forms of illness. We never know when our kids come home whether they are bringing home a nasty bug, or just have run of the mill seasonal allergies.
Allergies are more common in warm weather because of the increase of pollen in the air, but winter allergies are more common than you may think.
READ MORE: 3 Ways to Sooth Your Spring Allergies Without Medicine
Winter allergies share the symptoms of a common cold, so many times you may think you have just gotten sick. When the sniffling and itchy eyes last more than a week or two however, you may start to question what is actually wrong. The biggest difference between winter allergies and a common cold is the duration of symptoms. Winter allergies also tend to come on quickly, right after you encounter the allergens, as opposed to a cold, which may have ‘creeping’ symptoms. Colds also bring about the lovely symptoms of aches and pains, a cough, and a sore throat whereas winter allergies are likely to be confined to your sinuses. Mucous is also a telltale sign, since sinus discharge as a result of allergies is mostly clear and thin, while mucous from the common cold will be more yellow, with a thicker consistency.
According toe the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, around 50 million people in the U.S. suffer from allergies, and some of them suffer year round. So learn how to tell if you are prone to allergies, because there is no reason to suffer, if medication or therapy can help alleviate the annoying symptoms.
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