Did You Know?..Allergies or Cold
- The primary difference between symptoms of a cold and allergies is the length of time the symptoms last. A cold disappears in a week to ten days; allergies last much longer.
- Allergies cannot be passed from person to person; colds and other viruses are contagious.
- General aches, pains and fever can sometimes accompany a cold or other viruses; these symptoms never accompany allergies. If these symptoms are present, it is likely a cold or another virus.
- Symptoms to allergies begin almost immediately after exposure to an allergen, whereas symptoms of a cold usually develop over several days.
Myth: “as long as the nasal discharge is clear, it is an allergy.” Clear mucous from a runny nose is often associated with a cold.
