Do I have an allergy or is it a cold?

| allergy and the common cold are two entities that are often confused because they share similar symptoms.

Given the similarity of the symptoms, it can happen that an allergy (especially in winter) is mistaken for a cold and treated as such and vice versa. But these are two different pathologies: allergy is secondary to a response of the immune system to an allergen, while the cold is a common infectious disease, produced by a virus.

The treatment is very different in both cases and therefore it is important to differentiate it. allergy benefits from treatment with antihistamine drugs, allergen avoidance, and sometimes prevention through vaccines (immunotherapy). On the contrary, the cold, having a limited duration, only requires an analgesic (paracetamol) if there is pain or a low-grade fever, rest and hydrate adequately.

What are the common symptoms?

Symptoms shared by both processes are sneezing, congestion, rhinorrhea (runny nose), itchy nose and throat. Among these common features there are small differences, for example, sneezing in allergies is usually in salvos and rhinorrhea is watery; in colds the mucus is usually thicker and yellowish. On the other hand, itchy eyes and nose are usually more important in allergies, while cough only appears in those allergies in which the person has asthma, being a common symptom of the cold.

What is the difference between them?

There are some characteristic cold symptoms that never appear in allergies, such as the presence of low-grade fever (37ºC), generalized pain and a feeling of discomfort.

Another differential feature is the duration, while it is a self-limited process (5 to 10 days), it can last weeks / months and chronically. Any of them can appear in any season, especially in times of transition (spring, autumn).

In the cold, the symptoms the first days increase and then improve until they disappear, while in allergy the intensity is variable and depends on the exposure to the allergen.

If the patient is not clear about it and suffers these conditions repeatedly, his family doctor can assess it and establish the diagnosis as well as the recommendations to follow.

Family Medical Orientation 24 hours

MAPFRE's Family Medical Guidance service is freely accessible 24 hours a day for all insured persons. They have continuous access to specialists in Family Medicine to resolve health questions that may be presented to them by their family members at any time of the day or night.

• Although they can be confused because they share symptoms (sneezing, congestion, rhinorrhea ...), they are two totally different pathologies.
• Low-grade fever, widespread pain, and malaise are unique to the cold. And it lasts for a few days, while the allergy can last for months and become chronic.
• MAPFRE Salud policyholders have a 24-hour Medical Guidance service to raise questions like this one, and a team of doctors will assist them.