How Do I Know if I Have Allergies?

Many people are startled by the emergence of new allergies. People often mistake cold symptoms for allergy symptoms, as they can be quite similar--stuffy nose, itchy eyes and scratchy throat--though there are a few differences that can help to identify them correctly. Many allergy symptoms appear suddenly after a move into a new area or as the seasons change. Cold symptoms can appear at any time of the year, but are often more prevalent in the fall, winter and spring seasons.

Instructions

• 1

  Take your temperature. Allergies are generally not accompanied by a fever. Fevers caused by colds can be treated by an over-the-counter cold medicine with fever-reducing medicine such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

• 2

  Note any aches or pains. Allergies generally do not cause body aches and pains, whereas colds can be accompanied by stiff muscles, sore joints and headache.

• 3

  Change locations. If you are outside, go inside. If you are inside, go outside. See if your conditions better or worsen. The change in location may remove an airborne or environmental allergen and help to pinpoint the cause of the irritation. If no change is noted after the environment change, the symptoms may be due to a cold.

• 4

  Take an over-the-counter allergy medication. Drugs with loratadine or histimine blockers such as diphenhydramine will aid in keeping allergies at bay. Depending on the formula, some allergy medications may help with cold symptoms like stuffy nose, but will likely not address a sore throat, achy muscles, or fever associated with a cold.

• 5

  Talk to your doctor about the course of treatment for symptoms that continue past two to three days. If it is thought that allergies could be the cause of the discomfort, an allergy test will be conducted to determine the allergen causing the symptoms.