Easy Ways to Spot Spring Allergies

CLEVELAND - Between the common cold, flu, and now spring allergies, it can be hard to know which one you’re dealing with. However, there are certain signs you can look out for.

“Sometimes it is really difficult to determine if someone has a cold versus allergies,” said Sandra Hong, MD, allergist at Cleveland Clinic. “One of the things that I think is really important is that you get symptoms around the same time every single year.”

Dr. Hong said another way to tell if it’s allergies is to pay attention to the symptoms.

Are you noticing any kind of itching? For example, an itchy throat, itchy eyes or itchy ears.

That’s very common with allergies.

With a cold or flu, you’re more likely to experience a fever, body aches, or chills, in addition to a runny nose, or sore throat.

Dr. Hong said symptoms of a virus also tend to resolve a lot sooner.

With allergies, they can linger for weeks.

“Very frequently, patients with allergies also have asthma, so I would actually be very aware of that. And if you notice during this time of the year that things that you normally like to do are causing you to be short of breath, or you're coughing, or wheezing, please talk to your primary care physician, or consider seeing an allergist because those symptoms can be related to asthma,” she explained.

Dr. Hong said if you do discover that you have allergies, there are plenty of over-the-counter medications that can help.

However, if symptoms persist, it’s best to consult with your physician.