Allergies vs cold/flu/bug?

[Rajah]

How do you tell if something is due to allergies, or is really a cold?

Here's my problem:

Last night, I realized that DH had changed the type of laundry detergent he used, and accidentally got one with a scent when he did the sheets on Sunday. I can *not* sleep on scented sheets between my asthma and allergies.

The past 2 days, I've felt like I had a head cold. Stuffy head and ears, cough, very sore throat, headache, eyeache. Tired. But no fever. Everything's worse when there's a breeze from the fan. (Which I can control at home, but not at work)

What I can't tell is is this stuff really a head cold, or is it just due to allergies? I'm taking my usual claritin, but I've been downing tea and hot soup like they're going out of style, and claritin + sudafed haven't done a thing.

If it's just allergies and sleepy because I've been unable to sleep because of the allergies, I want to push myself to get my full time in today. If it's unlikely for just allergies to create this much of a head-cold-like symptom, I want to go home early before this settles into something worse.

Any suggestions? Other than fever, is there really any way to tell the difference?

 

[snoopy]

Usually when I get a cold, it starts with sneezing. When its allergies, it starts with a sore throat.

Don't know if there is any truth to that, though. It might just be my body that reacts that way.

 

[oogieboogie]

The way I tell if it's allergies or a cold ( I can have those without fever) is this:

Allergies:
- Itchy and dry eyes, itchy nose, stuffed up nose in the sinus region, tightness in the airways, gasping for air. The headache starts at the temples and moves inwards to the center of the head.

Cold:
- Sore throat, runny nose, constant sneezing, stinging eyes, tearing eyes. The headache starts at the frontal area and moves to the back.

If you change your sheets, are you having the same problem?

 

[GoodFairies]

This is really gross and not ALWAYS true but usually is, but I can't tell from your post if mucus is an issue:

For allergies the mucus is clear or white "healthy looking."
For colds or any other type of infection the mucus is totally or partially yellow or green.