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Ceaseless sneezing, runny nose, runny nose. We’ve all had these symptoms, haven’t we? But when to know when it is a flu or if it is just an allergy? Although there are many differences between these two things, many people still confuse them. And understanding these differences is extremely important in order to know how to treat the problem and get rid of those symptoms. After all, is it flu or allergy? That is exactly the subject of today’s text. If you want to understand more about the difference between these two conditions, check it out below!
What is Flu?
The flu is one of the most well-known diseases for mankind and, contrary to what many think, it is not caused only by a specific virus . In fact, several different viruses can cause the disease and a common feature of them is that they can mutate over time, which explains why we are affected by the flu several times in our lives.
In past centuries, the flu was an extremely dangerous and lethal disease, but nowadays it is considered a common disease and easy to treat, even though its mortality rate is around 0.13% .
In order for you to understand a little more about the disease and the differences between it and allergy, let’s also talk about the main symptoms and treatment of the flu.
Main Flu Symptoms
The main symptoms of influenza are:
- Cough
- Fever
- Coryza
- General malaise
- Chills
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- Muscle aches
Of course, depending on the conditions in which the sick person is in, these symptoms can vary . It is quite possible, for example, that one person has all of these symptoms, but in a mild way, and that another has only a few of them, but in a more rigorous way. And although there is no fixed rule on how the flu acts, treatment is always done in a similar way.
Flu Treatment
The flu is a disease that tends to disappear with time and, therefore, the treatment basically consists of staying at rest and letting the virus fight itself. Another important thing to do to treat the flu is to drink plenty of fluids to prevent the body from dehydrating. The disease lasts for around five days in normal cases.
Of course, to treat some symptoms, such as fever, a doctor may prescribe acetaminophen . Cough syrup can also be an alternative to relieve this symptom.
There are several flu vaccines that can be taken by anyone, although some of them are recommended especially for children and the elderly. Vaccines are usually very effective, but they must be taken with some regularity , since, as we said earlier, the flu virus can mutate and attack our bodies in a different way, of which we are not vaccinated. This does not mean, of course, that it is not worth taking this type of vaccine, as it helps to save thousands of lives every year.
It is important to remember that you should not self-medicate in any way, especially with medicines that you have never taken before. This can cause different reactions in your body and make the flu worse. Therefore, if you are feeling very bad, the most recommended thing is to see a doctor.
What is Respiratory Allergy?
In order to talk about what a respiratory allergy is, it is important to understand, first, that there are several of them. The best known are rhinitis, bronchitis and sinusitis . That said, we can define respiratory allergies as a kind of hypersensitivity of some part of our body to some specific agent.
For example, when a person is very sensitive to pollen from flowers, it is common for their allergy to manifest during the spring, especially when it comes to rhinitis. The same can happen with bronchitis with someone who is allergic to dust or with sinusitis when someone is allergic to certain types of perfume.
It is worth mentioning that all of these are valid examples, but they do not limit the way in which these allergies can manifest themselves. Therefore, we will also talk about the main symptoms of respiratory allergies and also the treatment of each one of them.
Main Symptoms of Respiratory Allergy
As there are several types of respiratory allergy, it is important to divide the symptoms into each one. So we will talk about the symptoms of rhinitis , bronchitis and sinusitis.
Main Symptoms of Rhinitis
The main symptoms of rhinitis are:
- Coryza
- Ceaseless sneezing
- Eye irritation
- Itchy nose
Main Symptoms of Bronchitis
The main symptoms of bronchitis are:
- Cough
- Lack of air
- Chest pain
- Phlegm production
Main Symptoms of Sinusitis
The main symptoms of sinusitis are:
- Pain in the center of the head
- Fever
- Coryza
- Fatigue
Respiratory Allergy Treatment
Just like any other type of allergy, the most recommended is to discover the agent that causes it and avoid contact with it as much as possible . However, since this is not always possible, a doctor may prescribe antihistamines or corticosteroids for when the allergy is severely attacked.
We emphasize once again the importance of not taking these medications on your own and always looking for a doctor so that the treatment can be done in a serious way and that it generates positive results for your health.
What are the main differences between Flu and Allergy?
Now that you’ve learned better what the flu is and what respiratory allergies are, it’s much easier to explain if what you may experience is a case of flu or allergy. While the first condition is a disease caused by a virus, the second is a reaction of our immune system due to the hypersensitivity we have acquired. This means that allergies are not diseases , which means that your treatment is done differently.
In addition, the consequences that each of these conditions can bring are different. Understanding this more clearly makes you know what are the right actions to be taken at every moment and certainly help you in the treatment, whether of the flu or allergy.
Although many symptoms are similar, respiratory allergies and the flu are completely different things and require different treatment. So it is very important to know if what you have is flu or allergy to understand how to get rid of the symptoms and be able to live normally. To understand better about our body and our health is also to understand how to live better and know more about ourselves. And that is always very beneficial.
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
