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Is it a cold or an allergy ?

Allergies can often have similar symptoms to the common cold. If you're allergies are seasonal and happen mainly in spring and summer, then sometimes when they begin you may wonder whether they are allergies or whether you have a cold. So if you are suffering from the sniffles and are sneezing and wheezing, how can you tell if it's a cold or an allergy? Hay fever type allergies only happen during the spring and summer months where as colds can happen at any time. So if you are having these symptoms in the middle of winter, then it is more likely to be a cold. Colds also only usually last a week or so, where as if you are suffering from allergy symptoms they will probably last a whole lot longer. The other difference between a cold and an allergy is that sometimes with a cold you may develop a fever, along with some aches and pains and colored mucous. Cold symptoms will often worsen over the first couple of days and then gradually start improving but allergy symptoms will continue usually at the same level for as long as you are exposed to the allergen. If you are still not sure whether you are suffering from a cold or from an allergy, you may want to make a visit to your local GP. It Is An Allergy - How Do I Deal With It? Once you know that your symptoms are that of an allergic reaction you will need to try to avoid the things that you are allergic to. Sometimes it can be hard to discover what it actually is that is causing you the reaction, and other times it may come on suddenly and you may know what it is that sets you off. If you have a food allergy it may take a bit more time to find out what the problem food is and you may have to do it by process of elimination. Once you know what it is then you will need to avoid that food completely. That will mean that you will have to be quite careful with reading food packaging labels to find out exactly what is in the ingredients. That may also include knowing about the additives and preservatives used in many foods. Some environmental allergies may be avoided and others can't. If you have an allergy to dogs or cats, then don't get a dog or a cat. If you are allergic to dust mites you will have to clean your house frequently and vacuum both the floors and beds quite often to eliminate dust mites. For pollen allergies there isn't a lot that you can do at that time of the year when they are at their peak. You can take your allergy into consideration when you are landscaping and be sure to plant plants that have low allergy pollens. I doubt that you could avoid pollens completely as you will pass many as you walk down the street. You will have to find yourself a good hay fever allergy treatment from the pharmacy to get you through the hardest times of the hay fever season. For more information on allergy relief make sure to visit http://www.waystogetridofallergies.com a popular website that provides information on relieving symptoms of allergens. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Shepler