Allergy Symptoms vs. Cold Symptoms

Winter is slowly receding, and in many places Spring has sprung, even though the official start date doesn’t come until the end of the week. With Spring weather comes blooming plants, trees, and shrubs, and with those lovely flowers comes pollen, the irritant that brings on hay fever. I lived for years in denial of my seasonal allergies and pretended that I had a cold . . . a cold that never ended. I have wised up and since allergy season is upon us, or will be soon depending on where you live, I thought it might be useful to compare the symptoms of the common cold with those that accompany seasonal allergies. Itchy nose: Although allergies and colds both produce a runny nose and congestion, allergies create the dreaded itchy nose . The itch generally occurs in the back of the nose and is difficult to “scratch.” Folks suffering from “nasal pruritus” (the fanciest way in the world to say itchy nose ) often scrunch up their faces, like a bunny, to try to alleviate the itch. The sneeze: Sneezing frequently, and sometimes quietly, is common with allergies. Allergy sneezes are an attempt to remove allergens from the nose. Sneezes from colds tend to be loud, deep, and infrequent, attempting to clear the bronchial congestion down in the lungs. Unfortunately, the list of symptoms is a bit longer, so read more. Runny eyes: While eyes might occasionally water with a cold, they will run profusely with allergies. Mucus color: Mucus, aka snot, is generally clear with allergies, whereas with a cold it tends to have a color - yellow to green . Dark circles under the eyes: This symptom is sometimes referred to poetically as the ” allergy shiner .” These “shiners” are caused by the inability of veins in the area to drain due to chronic nasal congestion . It is like a traffic jam in the area under your eyes. Common colds do not cause these. If you are living in allergy denial, hopefully, this list will help you figure out that you do indeed have hay fever, and need to leave the weeding and lawn mowing to someone else for now.

Read more:
Allergy Symptoms vs. Cold Symptoms

Fight Seasonal Allergies With Heat

If seasonal allergies are preventing you from breathing through your nose, you can take decongestants , but they’ll end up drying you up everywhere, even your lady business . Plus they can make you feel kind of spaced out and tired. A natural alternative I’ve found that relieves congestion is to raise your body temperature through exercise. Choose heart-pumping activities such as running, biking, hiking, cardio kickboxing, or exercise in a heated room such as Bikram or Ashtanga yoga . Do it for at least 20 minutes, and once you start sweating, your nasal congestion will start to thin out a little, making it easier to blow your nose and clear your sinuses. Just make sure you have a pack of tissues with you so you can get rid of the mucus instead of sniffing it back in. If the pollen count is really high outside, do your cardio inside to avoid aggravating your symptoms. Source

Read more here: 
Fight Seasonal Allergies With Heat

Flying and Nosebleeds

After a long day of traveling, mostly by plane, I woke up with a nosebleed. The last time a bloody nose roused me from sleep, I was learning long division. I thought it odd, but the dry air in planes can push an irritated nose over the edge and result in a nosebleed, and the altitude doesn’t help the situation either. More of a nuisance than a medical problem, nosebleeds are dramatic but not really painful (at least for me). Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t tip your head back, but rather lean slightly forward in a seated position while pinching your nose with your thumb and forefinger for five to 10 minutes. Avoid blowing your nose for several hours after the bleeding has stopped to prevent another nosebleed. If you cannot get the bleeding to stop after 20 minutes, seek medical attention. You should also be treated if your bloody nose is the result of an accident. If you’re suffering from allergies, live in dry place, and are flying in the near future, you should keep the interior of your nose moist with a saline nasal spray. No one wants to start a vacation with a nosebleed, especially a Summer one when so many people are wearing white. Tell me have you ever suffered through a nosebleed? Source

Here is the original post:
Flying and Nosebleeds