Winter in Colorado can be a lot of fun for all you snow bunnies or winter sport athletes out there, but for a lot of “Coloradian’s” winter in Colorado means more time spent indoors. A lot of people don’t enjoy spending time outside in the snow and freezing cold temperatures. They would rather bundle up in their warm house with a warm cup of hot cocoa in front of the fire place. To each their own, but spending more time indoors provides increased exposure to indoor allergens. Thus, winter allergy symptoms arise.
The best way to handle our wonderful Colorado winter allergies is to know and understand what exactly is triggering your seasonal allergy symptoms and why. Popping cold medicine pills and hoping that they will work is not the right thing to do. The board-certified allergy specialists at Asthma and Allergy Associates have several tips for all you indoor allergen sufferers out there. We believe you must first understand the difference between winter allergies and a winter cold.
To keep things simple, here are the primary differences between Colorado winter allergies and Colorado cold symptoms:
Winter Allergies
- Itchy eyes and throat
- Nasal secretions are watery, clear
- No fever is present
- Symptoms persist for weeks
Winter Colds
- Chills and body aches
- Nasal secretions are discolored
- Fever is present
- Symptoms are usually gone in a week
Once you figure out which ailment you are suffering from, the next step the winter allergy specialists suggest is to get a treatment plan set up to fight your symptoms. Some people take cold medicine to treat their winter allergies but that isn’t always the best option to use. Cold medicines are created to treat and cure only winter cold symptoms, not winter allergy symptoms. Yes, these medicines may help relieve some of your winter allergy symptoms that are similar to winter cold symptoms, like sneezing, runny nose, or nasal congestion. In reality, they are just masking the true problem if you do indeed have winter allergies and the side effects like sedation may be a problem as well.
This is why the board-certified allergy doctors at Asthma and Allergy Associates suggest you come in to one of our office locations to get tested. Allergy testing pin points your symptoms and gives you a better answer about what you are suffering from.
So, instead of just popping some cold medicine pills or gulping down a spoon full of liquid medicine this winter in Colorado, give the friendly staff at AACOS a call today. We can provide you with a better treatment plan than a box of over-the-counter medications can. Asthma and Allergy Associates can tell you if you are indeed suffering from a winter cold, or winter allergies, so call us now!