- 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 a consultant in the Division of Infectious Diseases 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 and a fellow of the American College of Physicians and of 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 of the executive committee of the Division of Infectious Diseases. He also served on the editorial boards of "Mayo Clinic Proceedings" and "Antimicrobial Agents and 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.
Definition (1)
- Cold or allergy: Which is it?
Complications (1)
- Plugged ears: What is the remedy?
Lifestyle and home remedies (7)
- Honey: An effective cough remedy?
- Neti pot: Can it clear your nose?
- Neti pot solution: Can I make my own?
- see all in Lifestyle and home remedies
Alternative medicine (3)
- Zinc for colds: The final word?
- Echinacea: Is it effective for the common cold?
- Do the benefits of vitamin C include improved mood?
Prevention (1)
- Flu germs: How long can they live outside the body?
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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 actually have seasonal allergies. Although colds and seasonal allergies may share some of the same symptoms, they are very different diseases.
Common colds are caused by viruses, while seasonal allergies are immune system responses triggered by exposure to an allergen. 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 check: 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 |
Adapted from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 2008
Next questionPlugged ears: What is the remedy?
- DeShazo RD, et al. Diagnosis of allergic rhinitis (rhinosinusitis). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 20, 2011.
- Is it a cold or an allergy? National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/allergicdiseases/Pages/default.aspx. Accessed Dec. 20, 2011.
- Lustig LR, et al. Ear, nose, & throat disorders. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2012. 51st ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=2356. Accessed Dec. 20, 2011.
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