Are Your Symptoms Allergies Or Caused By Something Else?

If you have ever suffered from allergies, the first thing that may come to mind when you experience symptoms like sneezing or a runny nose is an allergic reaction. However, these signs and symptoms are not always caused by allergies. In this article, we will be discussing what other conditions come with these symptoms.

What Are Allergies?

Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to something that’s ordinarily harmless, like pollen or fur, as if it were dangerous. Your body produces histamines, resulting in watery eyes and a runny nose.

6 Things That Seem Like Allergies

Common Cold

Most times, colds and respiratory allergies feel and look alike. They have common symptoms like sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, and tiredness. But colds are caused by a virus and can spread to other people. A cold won’t give you itchy eyes, but you can have pains and fever, which don’t happen when you have allergies.

Flu

Like a cold, a virus causes the flu. It also has similar symptoms- sore throat, coughing, etc. But you feel worse when you have the flu than when you have a cold. The flu comes on fast with body aches and chills and lasts longer. It is rare to have this symptom with a cold and never with allergies.

Sinus Infection

How do you know you have a sinus infection or allergies? The answer is itchy eyes. It is very rare for sinus infections to cause irritated, watery eyes. Some of its symptoms are toothache, bad breath, thick green or yellow snot, and fever. All of these don’t happen with allergies.

Bronchitis

Allergies and bronchitis share one main symptom, and that is the cough. Bronchitis occurs when your bronchial tubes (airways in your lungs) get inflamed, and smoking is also a cause. You may cough too much with bronchitis and spit up either green, yellow, white, or clear mucus.

Strep Throat

Most symptoms of strep throat are usually in your neck and mouth. They usually include – pain when you swallow, a sore throat, and red, swollen tonsils. Sometimes it gives you fever, rashes, and body aches. Strep throat doesn’t cause sneezing and coughing. But sometimes allergies and strep throat both cause a headache.

Asthma

Asthma and allergies are often peas of the same pod. The things that cause your respiration allergies can also trigger your asthma, and doctors even use some treatments like allergy shots to treat both of them. Both conditions cause a cough, but with asthma, you may also have trouble breathing, and chest tightening.