Is it an Allergy or a Cold?

Characteristic	Cold	Allergy
Duration	A few days	Days to months — as long as you are exposed to the allergen
Time of Year	Most often in the winter, but can be anytime	Seasonal – spring or fall, pollen allergy Perennial – animal dander and molds
Onset of symptoms	Systems take a few days to appear after infection with the virus	Symptoms can begin immediately after exposure to the allergen
Symptom	Cold	Allergy
Cough	Often	Sometimes
Aches	Sometimes	Rare
Fatigue	Sometimes	Sometimes
Fever	Rarely	Never
Itchy, watery eyes	Rarely	Often