Is it an Allergy or a Cold?

Spring is in the air and with it, comes the chance that you’ll be on the receiving end of a spring cold or seasonal allergies. While neither option is a fun one, especially when the weather is nice and the sun is bright, both can be treated with over the counter medications but require different ones to really affect your symptoms.

How to Treat Allergies

Unlike food allergies, which might have you running to the guy wearing the white lab coat and scrub pants, seasonal allergies are generally little more than a nuisance. But some unlucky sufferers have to deal with a variety of symptoms including: runny nose, sinus pressure and pain, sneezing, coughing, and watery and itchy eyes. With these symptoms, seasonal allergies can make even the happiest person feel miserable. To combat symptoms, you should take an antihistamine. An antihistamine reduces a variety of symptoms and lowers the amount of histamines (the chemical in your body made during an allergic reaction), in the body. Combining a decongestant will clear out much in your nasal pathways and relieve congestion and swelling – which may help your sinus pain, if present. You can also use the form of decongestants available as a nasal spray or mist, which may work a little faster than the pill form of the same medicine. Of course, talk to your doctor or pharmacist prior to use, especially if you’re on any prescription medicines. They should clear any over-the-counter medicine.

How to Treat the Common Cold

One of the chief complaints of insurance companies and medical providers is that patients with the common cold will often make an appointment for treatment, when home care is the best remedy. The common cold can have much of the same symptoms as spring allergies but you often have aches and pains, a sore throat, and a cough – all signs that you’re dealing with a virus and not allergies. There is no cure for the common cold, which means you shouldn’t rush off to the doctor for a prescription of antibiotics. Instead, treat your cold at home. Rest and drinking plenty of fluids are the two main ways to treat your cold at home. If you’re feeling particularly crummy, adding cough drops, throat lozenges, and over-the-counter decongestants can help you feel better quicker.

Allergies and the common cold can slow down your spring plans, but with a little OTC medication and a lot of rest you can get through the worst of the symptoms unscathed! If you’re in the medical field and you’re looking to get through your own day unscathed, check out Fiumara Apparel’s great selection of medical apparel. We offer scrub pants, lab coats, shoes, and more for the well-dressed medical professionals we serve. With our fantastic customer service, quality merchandise, and competitive pricing, Fiumara Apparel has everything a nurse, doctor, or lab tech needs to present a professional look to your patients!