- With Mayo Clinic internist
James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
James Steckelberg, M.D.
Dr. James Steckelberg is chairman of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Mayo Clinic, a consultant and a professor of medicine at Mayo Medical School.
A native of Fremont, Neb., Dr. Steckelberg was a Rhodes Scholar and graduated from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine as a resident in internal medicine and a fellow in infectious diseases, and is board certified in both. He is the former director of the Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory at Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Steckelberg belongs to numerous professional organizations. He is a founding member of the Musculoskeletal Infection Society of America and a fellow with the American College of Physicians and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He has served on many Mayo Clinic committees and is a member of the Department of Medicine Leadership Committee and the executive committee of the Division of Infectious Diseases. He also served on the editorial boards of "Mayo Clinic Proceedings" and "Antimicrobial Agents & Chemotherapy" and has been an editorial reviewer for more than a dozen publications.
Dr. Steckelberg's research interests include experimental models of infection, epidemiology of infection, and antimicrobial resistance and therapy of bacterial infections.
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Question
Cold or allergy: Which is it?
I seem to get a cold every spring and fall. I'm wondering if these "colds" are really seasonal allergies. How can I tell?
Answer
from James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
If you tend to get "colds" that develop suddenly and occur at the same time every year, it's possible that you're actually suffering from seasonal allergies. Although colds and seasonal allergies may share some of the same symptoms, they are very different diseases.
Signs and symptoms of a "common cold" — which is caused by a virus — usually include cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and sneezing. You may also feel tired and, occasionally, experience body aches and pains. Rarely, you may have a mild fever. A common cold is easily spread from person to person and usually lasts from three to 14 days.
Seasonal allergies — which are an immune system response triggered by exposure to an allergen — have symptoms that are similar, but not identical, to the common cold. The most common signs and symptoms of seasonal allergies are itchy eyes and a runny or stuffy nose. Signs and symptoms may sometimes include fatigue, cough and sore throat, but never fever or general body aches and pains. Seasonal allergies cannot be passed from person to person and usually last for several weeks. The only way to truly know if you have allergies is to be tested for them in your doctor's office.
Treatment of a common cold may include rest, pain relievers and over-the-counter cold remedies, such as decongestants. Treatment of seasonal allergies may include over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines, nasal steroid sprays and decongestants, and avoidance of exposure to allergens where possible.
| Symptom checker: Is it a cold or allergy? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Symptom | Cold | Allergy |
| Cough | Usually | Sometimes |
| General aches and pains | Sometimes | Never |
| Fatigue | Sometimes | Sometimes |
| Itchy eyes | Rarely | Usually |
| Sneezing | Usually | Usually |
| Sore throat | Usually | Sometimes |
| Runny nose | Usually | Usually |
| Stuffy nose | Usually | Usually |
| Fever | Rarely | Never |
Source: Adapted from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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