Up North, cars are coated with powdery white snow during the winter. We don’t get much snow in Mississippi but in the spring we do find a fine powder coating our vehicles, only this powder is yellow and causes many of us to sniffle and sneeze throughout the season. We’re talking about pollen, of course, and those dreaded allergy symptoms. 

Is it Allergies, a Cold, or Something Else?

During the spring, it’s difficult for allergy sufferers to know whether their sick symptoms like sneezing and a stuffy or runny nose are simply allergy symptoms or something more. Some allergy symptoms mimic those of other common illnesses like a cold or even the flu and other viral respiratory illnesses. In most cases, it’s the symptoms that aren’t occurring that help patients know the difference. 

These are the symptoms that most often occur with allergies:

• Itchy and/or watery eyes
• Sneezing
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Occasional cough, fatigue or weakness

You might have a cold if your symptoms include:

• Cough
• Sore throat
• Sneezing
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Occasional aches and pains, fatigue, or fever

A cough or sore throat is usually the tell-tell difference between cold and allergy symptoms. These symptoms can also mimic other viral respiratory illnesses like the flu or coronavirus. In most cases, the presence of a fever or other symptoms such as nausea, headache, or shortness of breath are signs of something more serious than a common cold or allergies. If you are experiencing any of these additional symptoms you should visit your medical provider as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment.