Cold & Allergy Quiz: Do You Know the Difference?

Coughing, sneezing, and a runny nose are among the symptoms that colds and allergies have in common. But if you have yellow mucus with your runny nose, you may have a cold. Allergies typically cause only clear mucus.

If your coughing and sneezing is accompanied by an itchy, runny nose and itchy, watery eyes, chances are good that you have allergies. A cold typically doesn't cause that itchy feeling.

Wheezing and shortness of breath can be caused by a cold or allergies if you have a respiratory condition, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Wheezing and shortness of breath also can be related to other infections of the respiratory tract, such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

Allergies typically aren't accompanied by fever, so if your temperature is up, your sore throat may be related to a cold or other infection.

A sore throat is a common symptom of a cold. But if you have a severe sore throat with trouble or pain with swallowing and fever, you should see your doctor because that can also be a sign of strep throat. Strep throat is caused by bacteria, and your doctor can do a test to find out if you have it. If you do, your doctor can prescribe an antibiotic to treat it.

Flu symptoms are similar to those of a cold (cough, stuffy nose, fatigue, and aches), but also can include a fever of more than 102 F, chills, and nausea. To treat flu, drink fluids and get plenty of rest to help your body fight the infection. People at high risk for complications from the flu (including those under 12 months and  65 years and older, as well as people with certain medical or health conditions) should call their doctor about antiviral medicine.

Colds and flu are caused by viruses, not bacteria, so antibiotics don't work against them. Drinking clear fluids and getting plenty of rest is the best remedy for both colds and flu. But if you are at high risk of complications from the flu (pregnant women, young children, elderly, or have a chronic medical condition), have symptoms for longer than 7 to 10 days, or your symptoms get worse instead of better, call your doctor. In some cases, they may prescribe an antiviral medication to shorten the length of time that you're sick with the flu.

Allergy symptoms may stick around as long as you're exposed to what's causing them and aren't taking medication for them or getting allergy shots. If the allergy is caused by something seasonal, such as tree pollen, your symptoms should clear up when the pollen goes away. If it's caused by something that's always present, such as a pet, the symptoms can be chronic.

Nasal decongestants can help relieve the stuffy nose caused by either colds or allergies. But using nasal spray decongestants longer than 3 days can make nasal symptoms worse.

Children younger than 4 should not be given cough medicines (also known as antitussives or cough suppressants) or use decongestant nasal sprays. And children or teens under the age of 19 should not be given aspirin (because of the risk of Reye's syndrome).

You can get one any time of the year, but colds are most common in winter. This may be because people spend more time inside, making it easier to spread germs through direct or indirect contact.

Pollen from trees, grass, and weeds is present in spring, summer, and fall. Tree pollen often causes allergies in the spring (April and May), grass and weed pollen trigger allergies in the summer (late May to July), and ragweed is responsible for some fall allergies (late August until the first frost).

Molds are fungi that grow where water collects. Outdoors this can mean on rotting logs or in compost or leaf piles. Indoors it can grow in damp areas, such as bathrooms, kitchens, or basements. High levels of humidity or rainy weather can encourage mold growth and trigger allergies.