# Cold or Allergies: How Do You Know?

**By Paula Gallagher** · 2022-10-17

![Colds and allergies have some differences in their symptoms.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0319/0960/9603/files/cold-or-allergies_300.png?v=1666025077)

My neighbor has been struggling with a cough, scratchy throat and runny nose for almost 2 months. She can't figure out if it's a cold or allergies. She is not alone. Fall is a prime time for allergies, but it's also the time when you start to get more colds, thanks to kids bringing back all sorts of germs from school. While colds and allergies share common symptoms, their origin is different.

A cold occurs when a virus enters the body. Symptoms are a reaction to your immune system’s fight against the infection. Meanwhile, allergies are an adverse reaction to a substance caused by an overactive immune system. For some reason, your body mistakes harmless things, such as dust or pollen, for germs and attacks them like they would a virus.

## Colds

Signs and symptoms of a cold include:

-   Symptoms appear gradually
-   Colds should not last more than 2 weeks
-   Sore or dry throat
-   Green or yellow nasal discharge
-   Fever, general aches and pains

There are [many things](https://myvillagegreen.com/blogs/post/prime-your-immune-system-for-cold-and-flu-prevention) you can do for a cold. Drink plenty of fluids, get lots of rest and take a supplement that supports the immune system. Echinacea can strengthen your immune system and studies have shown it is beneficial in helping to prevent colds, or reducing their severity. Choose a preparation backed by research and one made from fresh plant extracts. Vitamin C and zinc are also effective cold busters. [Immune System Support](https://myvillagegreen.com/products/immune-system-support) is a comprehensive formula containing standardized herbs, including clinically studied echinacea and astragalus, which have a long history of supporting the immune system. It also contains medicinal mushrooms, vitamins and minerals, which all have immune supportive properties.

**Tags:** allergies, Category_Health Concerns, cold

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> Source: [Village Green Apothecary](https://myvillagegreen.com/blogs/post/cold-or-allergies-how-do-you-know)