When you're struck down by nasty symptoms like a sore throat or sneezing in the middle of spring it's often hard to differentiate between a cold and allergies. To help tell the difference between the two, health blog Greatist has put together a guide to narrowing down the problem so you can properly treat the symptoms right away.


The best indication of whether you have a cold or an allergy comes in the specifics of the symptoms. The Greatist breaks it down:

With a cold, coughing and congestion are almost always evident, whereas itchiness of the mouth, eyes, and throat are easy indicators of allergies. The type of mucus associated with each is particular, too. (Gross, we know. Just hold onto those tissues!) A yellowy mucus usually accompanies a cold, while people with allergies deal with thin, watery snot. Other symptoms unique to the common cold include muscle aches, fatigue, and fever, whereas an all day sneeze fest (gazuntite!) usually points to pollen.


In the middle of allergy season it's good to know if you've been hit with one of those nasty spring colds or allergies so you can treat correctly. Mucus isn't always the best indication of the difference between the two, but the rest of symptoms can help you pinpoint the real problem. Head over to Greatist for a few more tips on differentiating and treating both symptoms.

Cold vs. Allergies: How Can You Tell? | Greatist

Photo by Lain Watson.