What's the difference in a cold and allergies?!


Question: i have had one or the other and i am not sure which it is....i sneeze alot my nose runs then it itches and sometimes it stops up at night...sometimes i get a cough that gets really bad .i have taken antibiotics it got rid of the cough but i am keeping the sneezing...runny nose any suggestions? I live in eastern part of new mexico


Answers: i have had one or the other and i am not sure which it is....i sneeze alot my nose runs then it itches and sometimes it stops up at night...sometimes i get a cough that gets really bad .i have taken antibiotics it got rid of the cough but i am keeping the sneezing...runny nose any suggestions? I live in eastern part of new mexico

Allergies:
Allergies typically feature a clear nasal discharge with sneezing.
There may be itchy, watery eyes and/or a dry cough.
Often parents notice a "rabbit nose" -- a child crinkling her nose to relieve the itchy sensation inside.
The "allergic salute" -- rubbing the nose with the hand, sometimes leaving a horizontal crease on the nose -- is another common sign.
"Allergic shiners" -- dark circles under the eyes -- have long been associated with allergies, but are less predictive than the other symptoms.


Colds:
Colds will often begin with a clear nasal discharge, but after several days it usually turns creamy, yellow, or green for a time.
Sneezes tend to be more productive, and coughs sound wetter than with allergies.
If the eyes are involved, one or both of them usually turn pink, with a discharge that matches that in the nose.
A fever may be present.


Sinus Infections:
A sinus infection in a child often begins like a cold but lasts for greater than 10 to 14 days with no period of improvement.
Sometimes a sinus infection begins with a high fever (>103 F), facial swelling, or facial pain.

Since children with allergies often get more colds, sinus infections, and ear infections than their counterparts, it can be difficult to tease apart what is going on. The experience of other family members offers a big clue. Allergies often run in families. Eczema and asthma are also more common in allergic families.

cold is from germs
allergies from irritants

it sounds as if you have a cold
but if youre worried you can keep tabs on what you are doing or eating when your sneezing is brought on... eg eating certain foods (although if you are allergic to foods you generally have upset stomachs or are sick or swell up etc)
you may be allergic to pet hair or dust (you can be allergic to cats but not dogs... I am, it's to do with the fineness of their hair I think)

anyway, hope I helped but it sounds as if you just have a cold
also, cold symptoms often worsen at night (your nose blocks up and your cough worsens and you become more irritable)

Um i'm only 14 so i don't know much about this but isn't a cold a viral infection and allergies are like a response of your body to something it can't handle well ?
have you tried antihistamine injection ? if thats how you pell it it gets rid of allergies but i'm not sure if it's temporary or what so...
Good Luck i hope you find a good answer

The itchy part of your problem could simply be the bacteria around that area . This bacteria can also be the contributor to your runny nose or your nose just needs time to heal, perhaps you've been exposed to some cold air. The cold air exposure ruins the warming mechanism of your nose of which it stops warming air and then becomes inflamed or produces excess fluid which leads toa runny nose.

And your cough must have been a bacterial infection for sure, which you got an antibiotic for anyway.

Well, there are a number of infectious conditions with symptoms similar to allergies, including the common cold, influenza (flu), sinus infections, and strep throat. A good guideline for distinguishing between a cold an an allergy is time. Colds get better over time, generally in 7-10 days, while allergic reactions can last for months. Eating nutritious foods, getting adequate rest, and drinking plenty of water will help alleviate cold and flu symptoms.

Note: allergies can be quite serious conditions as some forms can lead to chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma or COPD. In addition, although allergies do not involve infection, they can lead to infections such as symptoms caused by allergic rhinitis if untreated can cause fluid to build up in the ear leading to otitis media.

The cold is caused by a virus, which is a pathogenic organism which enters your body, then injects its DNA, in to your cells which then once the virus has taken over it reproduces itself and then burst out of the cell destroying it in the process. This makes you ill and you get the symptoms of cold. Your white blood cells, in this case lymphocytes, then produces antibodies which then latch on to the outside of the virus. The antigen is a protein, which specifically neutralises the proteins which stick out of the virus, this stops it latching on to other cells and taking over and reproducing. After this, phagocytes, a different type of white blood cell, ingest the virus. The B lymphocytes also split and produce millions of memory cells which can stop if the same pathogen invades again. However, viruses mutate to prevent the attack from memory cells.

An allergy is caused by an allergen, allergens are proteins. Your body thinks this allergen will harm you so the body produces histamine, which gives you a runny nose and your nasal passages swell up because your is trying to fight what it thinks is a pathogen. In the UK I read a newspaper article which says that a gene which causes this type of sensitivity becomes dominant because we live in a too clean environment so the immune system does not get enough exercise. They also said that they are carrying out research in to allergies and this cure which actually tackles the problem and not just the symptoms and that a cure could be produces within the next few years.





But you could have a dry nasal passage, to solve this get a humidifier, which pus steam in to the air which should hydrate your nasal passages.





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