Cold or allergies? Dr. Raj Bhardwaj explains

That cold you've had for the past few weeks could actually be allergies, says Dr. Raj Bhardwaj.

The Calgary Eyeopener'smedical contributorsays it can be difficult to tell the difference between a cold and allergies, but there are a few telling signs.

You have allergies if...

• Your symptoms last longer than a week.
• Your symptoms get worse when you're outdoors, especially on dry, windy days.
• You regularly get what you think is a long cold in the spring.
• You have anitchy nose and eyes (this could also be caused by a cold, but isless likely).

You have a cold if...

• You're achy all over and feeling pretty run down.
• You have a fever.
• Your symptoms get better in sevento 10 days.

Great, so I've got allergies. Now what do I do?

Bhardwajsays a good place to start isto flush the pollen out of your nose with a nasal rinse. He says you can buy a Netipot or a squeeze bottle at the drug store and make your own salinesolution at home.

"One part baking soda, two parts salt, put into a big containerand just leavethatin your bathroom. Then you take a cup of warm water and a teaspoon of thefancy mix you made and do it at the end of your shower," saidBhardwaj.

He recommends usingpickling or canning salt, butnot table salt because it has iodine in it and can irritate your nose. Bhardwaj says it'snot necessary toboil thewater you use in your nasal rinse.

What aboutantihistamines?

Bhardwaj says they do work andthat thereare basically two flavours:

1. Quick onset, short acting that makes you drowsy, like Benadryl or the generic diphenhydramine brand.

2. Longer-acting, non-drowsy brands like Claritin, Reactine and Allegra.

If your symptoms are severe and antihistamines aren't helping, Bhradwajsays you should talk to family doctor about prescription antihistamineeye drops andnasal sprays, but neither one are cheap.

Avoid 'triggers'

One of the best ways to alleviate your allergies is to know what triggers them,and that's oftenthe great outdoors says Bhardwaj.

"Dry windy daysare not your friend. But after a rain, if you have allergies, go out andenjoy the weather. The pollen is out of the air for the most part," he said.

Cover up with gloves and a jacket when you do any yard work, andtake a shower as soon as you're done to get the pollen off your skin and hair.

• Allergies in spring? Snow mould may be to blame

And if none of those options work, ask your doctor for a referral tosee an allergist.

To listen to the full interview, click on the audio labelled: Spring cold vs. spring allergies