Spring and the change of seasons often bring a dose of the sniffles with them. Sometimes, it’s difficult to decide whether you have hay fever or developing a cold. Simply, when you catch a cold, you’ve been infected by either a rhinovirus (which means nose1) or a parainfluenza virus. It’s these viruses that cause the common cold. Hay fever, on the other hand, is triggered by something in the air – a windborne irritant. We’ll talk about what causes allergies in more detail below. First, though, a story:
How Zola discovered the difference between a cold and hay fever – the hard way
Zola went on a business trip of a lifetime: to Japan which involved three, perhaps four, long-haul flights between Africa and Tokyo. Work went well, but she struggled with the time differences, so when she boarded her first flight to come home, she was exhausted. Somewhere over the Sea of Japan, she felt the beginnings of a cold. By the time she landed back on home soil, her head ached a bit, and for most of the trip, her nose had either been blocked or runny.
About a week before leaving on the trip, Zola and her partner had moved into their first forever home. Then, three weeks after getting back from the trip, her nose was still congested and runny. Then they discovered that the house was damp. The walls were mouldy, and eventually, Zola discovered that she was “allergic”, she said, “to the house!”
In reality, Zola was allergic to the mould which triggered hay fever. This is why it seemed as though her cold had not cleared up even though the other cold symptoms had disappeared.
Differences Between Colds and Allergies
Here’s a quick-check table of the differences and similarities between cold and allergic rhinitis or hay fever.2,3
| Symptoms | Cold | Hay fever |
| How long they last | 3 days and for as long as 2 weeks |
|
| Fever/temperature | Seldom | Never |
| Headache | Not common | Not common |
| General aches & pains | Slight, not much | Never |
| Fatigue/ lingering tiredness, weakness4 | Sometimes/occasionally | Sometimes/occasionally |
| Stuffy, runny nose | Common | Common |
| Sneezing | Usual | Usual |
| Sore throat | Common | Sometimes |
| Cough | Common | Sometimes |
| Chest discomfort | Mild to moderate | Rare, except for those with allergic asthma |
| Characteristics | Cold | Allergy |
| When do they happen? | Usually in winter, but we can get colds any time of the year | At any time of the year and can depend on seasonal triggers like tree pollen |
| When do symptoms begin? | A few days after you have caught (been infected with) the virus | As soon as you have contact with the trigger that gives you hay fever |
What are allergies?
When your body reacts to something that’s usually harmless – like in Zola’s case, mould – this is known as having an allergy. Allergies are one the most common chronic conditions.5
Some people have allergies to pollen, dust and to animal skin and fur. For children who really want a puppy, this can be very difficult – especially if they have severe symptoms. These severe symptoms can include itchiness in the nose, the roof of the mouth and the throat which can be made worse if they have a postnasal drip which is when mucus runs down the back of their throats.
Other hay fever Symptoms
Some people who have allergies experience other symptoms like, watery and itchy, red eyes – known as allergic conjunctivitis – and which often happens at the same time as the sneezing, runny and congested nose. People who suffer badly from allergies often have swollen and/or red eyes with black rings under them. This can often be a sign of fatigue because allergy symptoms can affect the quality of the allergic person’s sleep.6
Hay fever triggers
We often hear people talk about hay fever season. This is usually spring and in Africa, it often pollen of alien species of trees, like weeping willows, pines, the Australian bottle brush and oaks that trigger allergies at this time of the year. There are other plant-based triggers that happen at different times of the year, like grass – pollen and cuttings – so when hay fever happens it is often specific to the person.7
We’ve already mentioned some triggers that are not necessarily seasonal, like Zola’s mould allergy, and allergies to pet fur and skin. Others include dust mites and droppings from cockroaches which are around us all of the time. Some people’s hay fever can be triggered by everyday things like perfume, cigarette and wood smoke as well as air pollution.
Treatment for, and prevention of, hay fever and the common cold
Here’s another quick-check table that gives you some simple treatment and prevention strategies for both colds and air borne allergies.
| Cold | Airborne Allergy | |
| Treatment | Get the right amount of sleep.
Drink plenty of fluids. Decongestants. Paracetamol like Cipladon, aspirin (only from age 18 and up), or ibuprofen for aches and pains |
Avoid allergens (things that you’re allergic to)
Antihistamines* Nasal steroids* Decongestants* *usually available prescription |
| Prevention | Regular hand washing
Avoiding close contact with anyone with a cold. |
Avoid allergens, such as pollen, dust mites, mould, pets and cockroaches. |
Cipladon 500mg is easy to give, tastes great and relieves pain & fever faster!
The last word
If the symptoms of either a cold and/or hay fever don’t go away when you think they should, and make you feel miserable, it’s best to consult your doctor to get appropriate advice and treatment.
Disclaimer: The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.
Sources:
- Cambridge Dictionary [Online] Available from <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/rhino> 27/10/2022
- Cold, Flu, or Allergy? Know the Difference for Best Treatment National Institutes of Health WebMD [Online] Available from <https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2014/10/cold-flu-or-allergy > 27/10/2022
- Ratini, M., 2021 Is It a Common Cold or Allergies? [Online] Available from <https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/common-cold-or-allergy-symptoms> 27/10/2022
- Fulghum Bruce, D., Nazario, B (Reviewer). 2021. How Tired Is Too Tired? WebMD [Online] Available from < https://www.webmd.com/balance/how-tired-is-too-tired > 27/10/2022
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. 2022 Allergies and the Immune System [Online] Available from <https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/allergies-and-the-immune-system> 27/10/2022
- Cafasso, J., Weatherspoon, D. (Reviewer) 2018 What are the Symptoms of Hay Fever? Healthline Media [Online] Available from <https://www.healthline.com/health/hay-fever-symptoms> 27/10/2022
- Allergy Foundation South Africa. 2022. Tree Pollen and Allergy [Online] Available from <https://www.allergyfoundation.co.za/tree-pollen-and-allergy/> 27/10/2022
