With spring coming up, we get to look forward to nice weather and beautiful flowers. However, with spring comes spring allergies! Spring allergies can be incredibly uncomfortable and annoying. They cause you to experience a runny nose, itchy eyes, and a sore throat. These symptoms can also be indicative of other things such as the common cold. CEC Health Center offers medical care Bethpage and can help you tell the difference between spring allergies and other illnesses.
What Are Spring Allergies?
The most common trigger for spring allergies is pollen, which can be found in most plants, trees, and bushes. Although you may not have many plants near you, you may still experience spring allergies because pollen can travel for miles in the wind. Pollen is a yellowish powder that is used to fertilize other plants in order to reproduce. Pollen usually begins to come out once the weather begins to get warmer, usually towards the beginning of spring into April. Some common symptoms of spring allergies you may experience are:
- Itchy and runny nose
- Puffy, itchy, and watering eyes
- Sneezing
How Are Spring Allergies Treated?
Spring allergies can be treated using a variety of medications and nasal sprays. The most used form of treatment is an over the counter antihistamine in the form of Claritin, Zyrtec, or Benadryl pills. Nasal sprays usually contain a steroid in order to reduce inflation and congestion. These treatments can be combined to treat various symptoms.
What Else Could My Symptoms Be?
We have seen many cases of spring allergies, and understand how similar they can be to other illnesses. Colds are very common and share most of the same symptoms as spring allergies. Unlike spring allergies, colds usually occur in the winter. However, colds can occur any time of the year.
How is the Common Cold Treated?
There is no cure all for the common cold, but you can take different treatments to relieve different symptoms. Here are treatment options you may be given when receiving medical care Bethpage:
- Cough medicine
- Pain relievers such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen
- Decongestants
- Sore throat remedies such as cough drops or tea
How Do I Tell The Difference?
Being able to tell the difference between allergies and sickness is important so you know when to seek medical care Bethpage. The biggest difference between the two is that spring allergies usually last for weeks at a time, while the common cold usually lasts about a week. Other differences you may experience with illness and not spring allergies are:
- You may experience a fever when you are sick, but never when you are experiencing only spring allergies
- Body aches are common when sick, but are not associated with spring allergies
- Fatigue is sometimes seen with spring allergies but is not common like it is when sick with other illnesses
When to Seek Medical Care Bethpage?
When you develop or are experiencing spring allergies, you may think to yourself whether or not you really need to see a doctor. CEC Health Center recommends visiting a doctor to discuss proper treatment of your symptoms, and to verify what you are experiencing is spring allergies. If you are not experiencing spring allergies, treatment options will be explored for your illness. If you are experiencing spring allergies then you may be advised to visit an allergy specialist, also known as an Allergist.
Contact CEC Health Center Today!
CEC Health Center offers medical care Bethpage and treats many cases of seasonal allergies and other illnesses that could initially appear to be allergies. With spring allergies causing symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes, it is important to treat them. It is also important to know when your condition is not spring allergies because the treatment will be different and you do not want to get anyone else sick.