As cold and flu season comes to an end, you may be wondering what has you feeling under the weather this spring. There’s a chance it could be allergies. While it’s best to take preventative measures and avoid sickness as a travel PT, allergies are another story. On each new assignment, you are likely to find a variety of triggers that get your eyes watering and nose running.
Allergies or a cold?
Since a lot of the symptoms are similar, it can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between a cold and seasonal allergies. The National Institutes of Health has provided a handy chart to help you figure it out. Some key takeaways from this information are:
- While a cold can last three to 14 days, allergies will likely last for weeks – or the duration of the allergy season if you aren’t take proper action against your trigger allergens.
- Both allergies and a cold will exhibit symptoms of sneezing, and it is likely that you may have a runny and stuffy nose or sore throat with the two.
- While you may have general aches and pains with a cold, you shouldn’t experience these symptoms due to allergies – same goes with a fever.
According to ABC News, Dr. William Schaffner, chair of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, recommends taking over-the-counter pain relievers and decongestants for a cold. When it comes to allergies, antihistamines are often the best route – these can be purchased over the counter or with a prescription from your doctor if necessary.
Allergies in 2014
ScienceDaily reported on an investigation by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) that looked at whether or not there is any truth behind the rise of spring allergies.
“A number of factors, such as weather patterns, predict how intense the spring allergy season will be,” Dr. Michael Foggs, president of the ACAAI, explained. “While allergies are on the rise, affecting more and more Americans every year, each spring isn’t necessarily worse than the last.”
Some of the things that play a determining role in how severe each allergy season will be include:
- How cold the winter was – a mild winter leads to an early (and often severe) pollen season
- Due to climate change, pollen levels increase on an annual basis
- Assumed symptoms of allergies can often lead to personal misdiagnosis, increasing the alleged severity of the season
So, what is the forecast for this year’s allergy season? CBS 2 in New York reported that some are predicting an early onset of triggers.
“What we’ve seen this winter was heavy precipitation everywhere throughout the entire country, and that’s causing very robust and healthy roots systems of trees and pollinating plants,” Dr. Clifford Bassett told the source.
In order to prevent a miserable day on travel therapy jobs, start taking your allergy medications early. This may prevent symptoms such as itching and watering eyes from ruining your day.