Allergies or a cold? Isn’t it time you found out?

When we sneeze, we are always so quick to either put it down to a cold or to allergies – but how do we really know which one it is? “Colds and allergies can have the same symptoms, and this can be confusing when trying to decipher which one it is,” says Nhlanhla Mdhuli brand manager of Linctagon. Similar symptoms can be runny noses, nasal congestion, coughing and sneezing.

To determine whether you have a cold or an allergy, you need to assess how you are feeling:

• How quickly did your symptoms present themselves; a cold can start building itself up over a few days, but an allergy can come out of nowhere.
• If you have itchy and watery eyes, you most likely have an allergy, whereas fever is a sign of a bad cold.
• Body aches also don’t present themselves with an allergy and are a tell-tale sign of a cold.
• The duration of the symptoms is also a key to what you could be suffering from; a cold could last up to 7 to 10 days, whereas an allergy can last for several weeks depending on how long the allergens are in the air.
• When it comes to allergies, patterns can present themselves – such as a specific time of the year, or the environment you may find yourself in when the symptoms occur; if you find that you are rubbing your eyes and sneezing whenever you are around your mother’s cat, there is a good chance you are allergic to it.

If you are unsure of your diagnosis, don’t fret; luckily Linctagon has a variety of products that can help alleviate your suffering from both a cold and allergies. For a cold be sure to use Linctagon – C Effervescent with Pelargonium siodies to assist the body, shorten the duration of the infection and reduce the severity of symptoms associated with a cold.

To help with nasal congestion associated with both allergies and a cold, Lnctagon nasal spray with Erythritol and Saline can help the body isolate and flush out bacteria in the nasal passage. The Linctagon nasal spray can be used by children from the age of 6 and is small enough to fit in any handbag, so it is on hand for when you need it.