Knowing Colds Allergies and the Difference with Infection Colds

You must have had a cold, right? Did you know that besides being caused by infections, colds can also be caused by allergies. Come on, we see what an allergic cold is and the difference with an infection runny nose.

In the medical world, allergic colds are known as allergic rhinitis. In this condition, a cold appears if the sufferer is exposed to an allergen (an allergic substance or substance), such as dust or animal hair. When inhaling these allergy triggers, the immune system will regard them as dangerous objects and release a compound called histamine as a resistance reaction. This reaction causes allergic symptoms, such as runny nose and itching in the nose.

Differences in Cold Allergy and Infection Colds

The main difference between these two types of colds is the cause. Colds are caused by viral or bacterial infections, while allergic colds are caused by exposure to allergens. Well, what about the symptoms? Although both cause a runny and stuffy nose, there are still differences between the two.

Symptoms of allergic colds include:

  • Itching in the nose, throat and eyes

  • Runny and stuffy nose

  • Sneezing

  • Cough

  • Swollen or runny eyes

  • Headache

  • Skin rash or hives

While symptoms of colds due to infection include:

  • Fever

  • Throat pain

  • Cough

  • Headache

  • Muscle ache

  • White, yellow or green phlegm

In addition to the causes and symptoms, allergic colds and cold infections also have several other differences, namely:

  • Symptoms of an allergic cold can appear immediately after the sufferer is exposed to allergens. While the symptoms of a cold, a new infection will appear several days after being infected with a virus or bacteria.

  • Cold allergies can occur at any time. Whereas cold infections are more common during the rainy season and transition seasons, although they can also occur outside the season.

  • Even though you can heal yourself without treatment, the symptoms of an allergic runny nose will continue as long as you are exposed to allergens. While the symptoms of a cold infection generally last for 3-14 days.

Treatment of Allergy Colds and Infection Colds

To relieve allergic colds, you need to stay away from the cause. Whereas in cold infections, especially those caused by viruses, drugs are not always needed. You only need to rest enough until the infection is cured.

But if the symptoms are very disturbing, a cold can be overcome with antihistamine drugs, especially allergic colds. Here are some ways you can treat cold due to allergies or infections:

Home care

To overcome allergic colds, you should avoid various triggers, such as dust, cigarette smoke, and feathers or debris from animal waste. Allergic triggers can vary by person. If you're not sure what the trigger is, you can do an allergy test.

As for treating colds, you only need to rest and drink lots of water to relieve symptoms. Generally, a cold infection can heal on its own within 7 to 10 days.

To help reduce colds, you can use air conditioner in an air-conditioned room, and keep the air clean. Get used to wash your hands to prevent the entry of viruses or dust that causes colds.

Drug consumption

The drug commonly used to relieve allergic colds is antihistamines. This drug works by inhibiting the effects of histamine, a natural substance in the body that causes allergic symptoms.

One of the antihistamine drugs is fexofenadine. This latest generation of antihistamines is more convenient to use because it tends not to cause drowsiness, so it doesn't interfere with your activities. Other antihistamine drugs, such as dexchlorpheniramine and cyproheptadine, can also be used, but both types of drugs often cause drowsiness.

In addition to antihistamines, the decongestant group can also be used to relieve symptoms of allergic rhinitis. But keep in mind, children, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and people with special medical conditions, such as kidney disease, need to consult a doctor first before taking drugs to treat allergic colds.

Apart from allergies and viral infections, colds can also be caused by a disease, such as nasal polyps and sinusitis. Colds can also occur due to a nose deformity called septal deviation.

Colds due to certain diseases require medical treatment, according to the cause. Therefore, you are advised to consult a doctor if the cold does not improve after a few weeks or it gets worse.