Cold allergy facts

Cold and allergies are two different terms although sometimes they can have very common symptoms and it becomes very difficult to know whether the disease is a cold or an allergy. Allergies are caused on exposure to certain foreign substances called allergens to which the body produces an allergic response. On the other hand, cold results from a causative organism known as the retrovirus. The two diseases have very different causes and yet it is very difficult, and sometimes impossible to distinguish and known the actual cause behind them because there is very little difference between their symptoms.

The common symptoms include runny nose, watery eyes, fever, weakness, abnormal blood pressure, and drowsiness, poor sense of smell and taste, loss of appetite, headache and dizziness. Since they result from two very different causes, the treatment is also different for both. Common cold is generally treated by antibiotics and by inhaling steam so as to get relief from nasal congestion. Nose drops are also a good option. On the other hand, allergies caused due to allergens like pollen and dust are treated by medications like antihistamines. Some common techniques like nasal drops, inhalers are used in both cold as well as allergies.