What To Expect During Allergy Skin Testing (Step-By-Step)
Allergies vs Cold: How To Tell The Difference
You wake up with a stuffy nose, sneezing, and watery eyes. You might ask yourself, “Allergies vs cold, which one do I have?” This is a very common question. Many people feel confused because allergies and colds can look almost the same at first. But they are actually very different problems, and knowing which one you have can help you feel better faster.
This confusion affects millions of people every year, particularly during spring and fall when seasonal allergies peak and viral infections remain common. The overlapping symptoms of these two distinct conditions can lead to inappropriate self-treatment, prolonged discomfort, unnecessary medication use, and missed opportunities for effective relief.
In this article, we’ll explain what allergies are, what a cold is, how their symptoms differ, and when you should consider allergy testing. By the end, you’ll have a clear idea of what your body might be telling you and how TrustyMed Clinic’s Allergy Clinic can help.
What Are Allergies?
Allergies happen when your immune system reacts too strongly to something that is usually harmless. These harmless things are called allergens. Examples include pollen, dust mites, pet hair, mold, and some foods.
How Allergies Work in Your Body
When you breathe in or touch an allergen, your body thinks it’s a threat. It releases chemicals like histamine, which cause allergy symptoms. This reaction can happen every time you’re exposed to that allergen.
More specifically, the allergic response begins with sensitization. Upon first exposure to an allergen, susceptible individuals produce allergen-specific antibodies. These antibodies bind to immune cells throughout the body, particularly in the respiratory tract and skin.
Upon subsequent exposure to the same allergen, the allergen molecules bind to these antibodies, triggering cells to release inflammatory chemicals. Histamine is responsible for many immediate allergy symptoms:
- Causes blood vessel dilation (leading to redness and congestion)
- Increases fluid accumulation (causing swelling)
- Stimulates nerve endings (producing itching)
- Increases mucus production
Two Phases of Allergic Reactions
This allergic reaction occurs in two phases:
- Immediate phase: Happens within minutes of allergen exposure and produces rapid-onset symptoms like sneezing, itching, and a runny nose.
- Late-phase reaction: Occurs four to eight hours after exposure and involves recruitment of inflammatory cells to the affected tissue, creating prolonged inflammation and congestion that can persist for hours or days.
Important Facts About Allergies
Allergies are not caused by germs. This means they are not contagious. You cannot catch allergies from another person. However, the predisposition to develop allergies has a strong genetic component. Children with one allergic parent have approximately a 30 to 50 percent chance of developing allergies themselves, while children with two allergic parents face a 60 to 80 percent risk.
The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased dramatically over recent decades, with current estimates suggesting that 20 to 25 percent of the population experiences allergic rhinitis.
What Is the Common Cold?
The common cold is an infection caused by a virus. There are many different cold viruses, which is why people can get colds more than once a year. More than 200 different viral strains can cause cold symptoms, with rhinoviruses accounting for approximately 30 to 50 percent of cases.
How Colds Spread
Colds spread easily. You can catch a cold by:
- Being near someone who is sick
- Touching surfaces with germs
- Sharing items like cups or towels
Transmission occurs primarily through respiratory droplets expelled when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. These droplets can travel several feet and be inhaled by nearby individuals. Alternatively, droplets land on surfaces where viruses can survive for hours to days. Touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the nose, eyes, or mouth introduces the virus to susceptible tissues.
How Long Colds Last
A cold usually lasts about one to two weeks. Your body slowly fights off the virus, and symptoms go away on their own. The typical course follows a predictable pattern:
- Symptoms worsen over two to three days
- Plateau for several days
- Gradually improve over the next week
- Most people feel significantly better within seven to ten days
Colds are self-limited illnesses, meaning they resolve without specific treatment. The immune system successfully eliminates the virus in nearly all cases.
Important Note About Antibiotics
Antibiotics are ineffective against viral colds and should not be used. Inappropriate antibiotic use for viral infections contributes to antibiotic resistance, exposes patients to unnecessary side effects, and provides no clinical benefit. The only time antibiotics are appropriate is when bacterial infection develops, such as bacterial sinusitis or ear infections.
Why Allergies and Colds Feel So Similar
Both allergies and colds affect your nose, throat, and sinuses. This is why the symptoms can feel almost the same at first. Sneezing, congestion, and a runny nose happen with both.
Both conditions activate sneezing reflexes through stimulation of nerve endings in the nasal tissues. Both cause nasal congestion through swelling of nasal tissues. Both increase mucus production. Both can produce postnasal drip, sore throat, and cough through similar mechanisms.
The Big Difference
The big difference is what causes them:
- Allergies: Come from your immune system reacting to allergens
- Colds: Come from viruses
This difference affects how long symptoms last and how they should be treated. While the symptoms may be similar, the triggering mechanisms are fundamentally distinct, and this has crucial implications for diagnosis, management, and recovery time.
Allergies vs Cold: Key Differences Explained Simply
Let’s break down the main differences in an easy way. While individual patients may not display all distinguishing features, recognizing these characteristic patterns significantly aids in telling allergies from colds.
How Long Do Symptoms Last
Cold: Symptoms usually last 7 to 10 days, sometimes up to two weeks.
Allergies: Symptoms can last for weeks or months, especially if you’re around the allergen often.
This temporal difference is one of the most reliable distinguishing features. Viral colds follow a self-limited course because the immune system successfully eliminates the virus within approximately one to two weeks.
Allergic rhinitis, by contrast, persists as long as allergen exposure continues. Seasonal allergies produce symptoms throughout the pollen season, which may last six to eight weeks or longer. Someone allergic to tree pollen will experience symptoms from early spring through late spring, a period potentially spanning two to three months.
The pattern of symptom onset also differs:
- Cold symptoms: Typically have gradual onset over a day or two
- Allergy symptoms: Can begin within minutes of allergen exposure, turning on and off based on exposure patterns
Fever
Allergies: Do not cause a fever
Cold: May cause a mild fever, especially in children
This distinction is diagnostically valuable, as fever indicates infection rather than an allergic reaction. Fever represents the body’s response to infection and is triggered by chemicals released during immune responses to pathogens.
Allergic reactions do not involve these fever-inducing pathways. While allergies cause inflammation and immune activation, they do not trigger the fever response. The presence of fever, therefore, strongly suggests an infection rather than allergies.
In colds, fever is more common in children than in adults. Children may develop low-grade fevers (up to 100-101°F), while adults typically remain fever-free or develop only minimal temperature elevation.
Itching
Allergies: Itchy eyes, nose, or skin are common
Cold: Rarely causes itching
This is one of the most characteristic and specific features distinguishing allergies from colds. Itching results from histamine stimulation of nerve endings. During allergic reactions, massive histamine release creates intense itching sensations in affected tissues.
The eyes, nose, throat, palate, and ears commonly itch in allergic rhinitis. Some individuals describe the sensation as an itch deep inside the ear canals or at the back of the throat that cannot be adequately scratched.
This itching is so characteristic of allergies that its presence strongly suggests an allergic cause. Patients may engage in characteristic behaviors to relieve itching:
- Rubbing eyes
- The “allergic salute” (pushing the nose upward with the palm)
- Making clicking sounds with the tongue against the palate
- Grimacing and wrinkling the nose
Viral colds do not typically cause significant itching because viral inflammation does not involve the same histamine-mediated pathways.
Mucus
Allergies: Mucus is usually clear and watery
Cold: Mucus may become thicker and turn yellow or green as the illness goes on
The character and color of nasal discharge provides diagnostic information about the underlying process.
Allergic nasal discharge is characteristically thin, clear, and watery, sometimes described as resembling water running from a faucet. This reflects increased fluid leaking from blood vessels into nasal tissues and secretions.
Cold-related nasal discharge begins clear and watery as well, but typically becomes thicker and more opaque over several days. The change in consistency and color reflects white blood cell infiltration as the immune system responds to viral infection.
Yellow or green coloration results from enzymes released from white blood cells. This color change was historically interpreted as indicating bacterial infection requiring antibiotics, but we now know that colored nasal discharge commonly occurs with viral infections as well.
If nasal discharge remains consistently clear and watery for weeks, allergies are more likely than infection. Conversely, if initially clear discharge becomes thick and colored over several days, an infectious cause is probable.
Body Aches
Allergies: May cause fatigue, but not muscle pain
Cold: Body aches and tiredness are more common
Viral infections trigger systemic inflammatory responses characterized by the release of chemicals throughout the body. These inflammatory chemicals cause constitutional symptoms including muscle aches, joint aches, malaise, headache, and fatigue. Patients describe feeling generally unwell, achy, and tired.
Allergies primarily cause localized symptoms in affected tissues (nose, eyes, throat) without the systemic inflammatory response characteristic of infections. Allergy sufferers do not typically experience muscle aches or the sensation of general illness.
However, allergies can cause significant fatigue through several mechanisms:
- Sleep disruption from nasal congestion
- The energy expenditure of chronic inflammation
- The sedating effects of some antihistamine medications
This allergy-related fatigue feels different from the acute illness of infections. It’s more chronic and insidious, developing over days to weeks, rather than the acute onset of feeling sick that accompanies viral infections.
Common Allergy Symptoms to Watch For
Allergy symptoms can affect different parts of the body. Some people may have mild symptoms, while others feel very uncomfortable.
Main Allergy Symptoms
- Frequent sneezing: Allergic sneezing often occurs in fits, with multiple consecutive sneezes triggered by allergen contact with the nasal tissue. Some individuals sneeze dozens of times per day during peak allergy season.
- Runny or stuffy nose: Allergic discharge produces clear, watery nasal discharge that can be profuse and persistent. Nasal congestion results from swelling of nasal tissues. Congestion may alternate between nostrils and often worsens at night when lying down.
- Itchy or watery eyes: Allergic eye reactions cause intense itching, redness, watery discharge, and eyelid swelling. The itching can be severe and persistent, interfering with concentration and comfort. Some individuals develop dark circles under the eyes due to chronic inflammation.
- Itchy throat or ears: Allergen contact with throat tissues creates itching sensations in the throat and deep within the ear canals. This symptom is particularly bothersome because these areas cannot be easily scratched.
- Skin rashes or hives in some cases: Contact with allergens can produce localized hives at the contact site. Some individuals with severe allergies experience widespread hives following allergen exposure.
- Feeling tired or drained: The chronic inflammatory state of ongoing allergies requires substantial energy expenditure. Sleep disruption from nasal congestion prevents restorative deep sleep. The cumulative effect is persistent fatigue, low energy, difficulty concentrating, and reduced motivation.
Key Pattern to Notice
If these symptoms appear around the same time every year, allergies are a strong possibility. The seasonal recurrence and predictability of symptoms is highly characteristic of allergic rhinitis. Keeping a symptom diary documenting when symptoms occur can help establish this pattern.
Understanding Seasonal Allergies
Seasonal allergies happen during certain times of the year when pollen levels are high. Pollen comes from trees, grasses, and weeds. These microscopic reproductive cells are released by plants and become airborne, traveling on wind currents for miles and triggering allergic reactions in sensitized individuals.
Seasonal Allergy Patterns
Spring allergies are often caused by tree pollen: From approximately late March through June in temperate climates, tree pollination dominates. Early spring brings pollen from alder, elm, and poplar. As temperatures warm, maple, birch, oak, ash, and other trees release their pollen. Birch is particularly allergenic, containing potent proteins that trigger severe symptoms. Tree pollen counts peak on warm, dry, windy days and are highest in morning hours.
Summer allergies usually come from grass pollen: From late May or early June through August, grass pollination creates the primary allergen burden. Timothy grass, Kentucky bluegrass, orchard grass, and ryegrass are common culprits. Grass pollen is smaller than tree pollen, allowing deeper penetration into airways. Grass pollen is released throughout the day, with peak concentrations in late afternoon and early evening. Lawn mowing disturbs settled pollen and releases it at breathing height, causing intense symptoms.
Fall allergies are often linked to weeds like ragweed: From mid-August through the first hard frost (typically October), ragweed dominates as the primary fall allergen. Ragweed is highly allergenic and produces enormous quantities of pollen (up to one billion grains per plant per season). These lightweight pollen grains travel hundreds of miles on wind currents. Other fall allergens include mugwort and various weed pollens. Additionally, outdoor mold spores increase dramatically in fall as decaying vegetation provides substrate for mold growth.
Why Seasonal Patterns Matter
Seasonal allergies tend to follow a pattern. Symptoms start around the same season each year and stop when pollen levels drop. This pattern is a major clue that symptoms are allergy-related and not a cold.
Someone whose symptoms appear every April and last through May, then completely resolve until the following spring, clearly has seasonal allergies rather than recurrent colds.
The predictability of seasonal allergies allows for proactive management:
- Starting medications before the allergy season begins provides better control
- Monitoring local pollen forecasts helps plan outdoor activities
- Limiting outdoor exposure on high pollen days reduces symptoms
Can Allergies Happen All Year?
Yes, some people have year-round allergies. These are often caused by indoor allergens like dust mites, pet dander, or mold. While seasonal allergies receive significant attention, year-round allergies affect a substantial population and can cause chronic symptoms that significantly impact quality of life.
Common Year-Round Allergens
- Dust mites: These microscopic creatures feed on shed human skin and thrive in warm, humid environments. They are found in particularly high concentrations in bedding, mattresses, pillows, upholstered furniture, and carpeting. Dust mite allergens become airborne when bedding or carpets are disturbed and are then inhaled.
- Pet dander: Consists of microscopic skin flakes shed by furry or feathered animals. Cat allergen is particularly potent, present in cat saliva and skin. Cats groom themselves, spreading allergen-containing saliva across their fur, which then becomes airborne as it dries. Cat allergen is remarkably persistent in the environment, remaining airborne for extended periods. Dog allergen generally causes less severe reactions but still triggers significant symptoms in sensitized individuals.
- Indoor molds: Grow in damp environments such as bathrooms, basements, kitchens, and areas with water damage or excessive humidity. Common indoor molds include Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Alternaria species. Mold spores become airborne and can trigger allergic symptoms when inhaled.
- Cockroach allergens: Particularly problematic in urban environments, these allergens are present in cockroach saliva, waste, and body parts and are strongly associated with allergic asthma.
Identifying Year-Round Allergies
If you feel congested or sneezy all year, and not just during certain seasons, indoor allergies may be the reason. Allergy testing can help identify these triggers.
The distinction between seasonal and year-round allergies has important treatment implications. While seasonal allergy sufferers may only need medications during their symptomatic season, year-round allergies typically require continuous treatment.
Some individuals have both seasonal and year-round allergies, experiencing baseline symptoms that worsen during pollen seasons. This combination can result in nearly continuous symptoms with varying severity throughout the year.
When It Is Probably Not a Cold
Many people assume they have a cold, even when symptoms last much longer than expected. Recognizing when symptoms likely represent allergies rather than repeated colds is important for seeking appropriate evaluation.
Signs It May Be Allergies Instead of a Cold
- Symptoms lasting longer than two weeks: The hallmark of viral colds is their self-limited nature, with resolution within seven to fourteen days. Symptoms persisting beyond two weeks without improvement suggest alternative diagnoses. Having what seems like a continuous cold for weeks or months is far more likely to represent allergies.
- No fever at any point: The consistent absence of fever throughout an illness suggests a non-infectious cause. While not all colds produce fever, the complete absence of fever during weeks of symptoms points toward allergies.
- Symptoms are getting worse outdoors: If symptoms consistently worsen when going outside, particularly on warm, windy days, pollen allergies are likely. This pattern is highly specific for allergies and does not occur with colds.
- Symptoms improve when windows are closed or when indoors: Noticing relief when entering air-conditioned buildings or after closing windows suggests pollen allergies. The environmental control of being indoors with filtered air reduces allergen exposure. Colds do not show this environmental dependence.
- Symptoms coming back at the same time each year: Annual recurrence of symptoms during the same season is characteristic of seasonal allergies. If you experience the same symptoms every April and May, or every August through October, seasonal allergies are almost certainly responsible.
When to Seek Help
If this sounds like you, it may be time to see an allergy specialist. Additional clues suggesting allergies include:
- Prominent itching (eyes, nose, throat)
- Consistently clear mucus over weeks
- Symptoms triggered by specific exposures
- Family history of allergies
- Coexisting conditions like asthma or eczema
- Symptom relief with antihistamines
Why Allergy Testing Matters
Allergy testing plays an important role in understanding what is truly causing your symptoms. Many allergy symptoms look the same, even though the triggers can be very different. Without testing, people often rely on guessing, which can lead to the wrong treatment and ongoing discomfort.
Benefits of Allergy Testing
Removes guesswork: Instead of wondering what triggers your symptoms, allergy testing provides clear, accurate information about what your body is reacting to.
Enables targeted treatment: Knowing your exact triggers helps doctors create a treatment plan that fits your needs. Instead of treating symptoms broadly, care can be focused on avoiding triggers, using the right medications, or recommending targeted therapies.
Improves quality of life: This personalized approach often leads to better symptom control and improved daily functioning.
What Allergy Testing Can Identify
Allergy testing is useful for many types of allergies:
- Seasonal allergies: Which tend to flare up at certain times of the year
- Year-round allergies: Often caused by indoor allergens like dust mites or pets
- Skin reactions: Including rashes, itching, and eczema flare-ups
- Asthma triggers: Allergies often worsen asthma symptoms, and identifying triggers can help prevent breathing problems
Overall, allergy testing provides clarity, confidence, and direction. It helps turn ongoing symptoms into a clear plan for long-term relief and better health.
What To Expect During Allergy Skin Testing (Step-By-Step)
Many people feel nervous about allergy testing, especially if they’ve never done it before. This is completely normal. The good news is that allergy skin testing is a simple, safe, and quick process. Knowing what will happen ahead of time can help you feel more relaxed and confident.
Before The Test
Before your appointment, your doctor may ask you to stop taking certain allergy medicines. This is usually done a few days before the test. Some medicines can block allergic reactions and affect the results.
Your doctor or clinic staff will give you clear instructions on:
- Which medicines to avoid
- How long to avoid them
- What to do if you’re unsure
On the day of the test, you can eat and drink normally. Wear comfortable clothing that allows easy access to your arms or back.
Skin Preparation
When you arrive, the test is usually done on your arm or your back. The healthcare provider will clean the skin to make sure it’s free of oils, lotions, or dirt.
The area is marked with small lines or dots so each allergen can be tracked correctly. This helps make sure results are accurate and easy to read later.
The skin is not broken deeply, and no needles are used for most skin tests.
Applying Allergens
Small drops of common allergens are placed on the marked areas of your skin. These allergens may include pollen, dust mites, pet dander, mold, or other substances based on your symptoms.
After the drops are placed, the skin is lightly scratched or pricked. This allows a tiny amount of the allergen to enter the top layer of the skin. Most people describe this feeling as a light tickle or mild pressure, not pain.
Waiting Time
After the allergens are applied, you’ll wait for about 15 minutes. During this time, the healthcare provider watches for any reactions.
If you’re allergic to a substance, the skin may become red, itchy, or slightly raised in that spot. You may feel mild itching, which is normal and usually short-lived.
The staff stays nearby to make sure you’re comfortable throughout the process.
Reading Results
Once the waiting time is over, the healthcare provider checks your skin carefully. Redness or small bumps indicate which allergens your body reacts to.
The size of the reaction helps determine how sensitive you are to each allergen. The results are often available right away, and your provider will explain what they mean in simple terms.
This information helps create a treatment plan that fits your needs.
After The Test
After the test is finished, the skin is cleaned again. Any itching or redness usually fades within a short time.
Most people can return to normal activities right after testing. The test is not very painful and doesn’t take long, making it a helpful and convenient way to understand your allergies better.
How Allergies Are Treated
Once allergies are diagnosed, treatment becomes much more effective.
Treatment Options May Include:
Avoiding known allergens when possible: Environmental control is the foundation of allergy management. Targeted strategies based on your specific allergens can significantly reduce symptoms:
- For pollen: Monitor pollen counts, keep windows closed, shower after outdoor activities
- For dust mites: Use allergen-proof mattress covers, wash bedding in hot water weekly
- For pets: Keep pets out of bedrooms, use HEPA air filters
- For mold: Control humidity, fix water leaks promptly
Taking doctor-recommended allergy medicines: Effective medications include:
- Antihistamines to block histamine and relieve itching, sneezing, and runny nose
- Nasal corticosteroid sprays to reduce inflammation
- Decongestants for short-term congestion relief
- Eye drops for itchy, watery eyes
Long-term allergy care: For severe or persistent allergies, additional options include:
- Allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots or tablets) to modify the immune response
- Biologic medications for severe allergic conditions
- Personalized treatment plans adjusted based on response
Treatment Goals
The right treatment can help you:
- Sleep better
- Breathe easier
- Enjoy daily activities again
- Reduce or eliminate the need for medications over time
Why Choose TrustyMed Clinic’s Allergy Clinic
TrustyMed Clinic’s Allergy Clinic focuses on helping patients understand their allergies and manage them effectively. Our team provides clear explanations, accurate testing, and personalized care.
What We Offer
- Comprehensive allergy testing: We use state-of-the-art skin testing to identify your specific triggers quickly and accurately. Testing is performed by trained professionals in a comfortable, safe environment.
- Clear diagnosis: We don’t just test. We take time to explain your results, what they mean, and how they relate to your symptoms. You’ll leave understanding exactly what’s causing your problems.
- Personalized treatment plans: Based on your specific allergens, lifestyle, and preferences, we develop individualized treatment strategies that fit your needs and goals.
- Ongoing support: We work with patients of all ages and help them feel comfortable throughout the process. Our goal is not just to treat symptoms, but to improve overall quality of life.
- Experienced team: Our board-certified allergists have the expertise to handle simple seasonal allergies as well as complex cases involving multiple triggers or severe reactions.
Take Control of Your Symptoms Today
If you’re tired of wondering whether your symptoms are allergies or a cold, professional help can make a real difference. You don’t have to suffer through sneezing, congestion, or itchy eyes.
Many people live with allergy symptoms for years, assuming they’re just prone to colds or that nothing can be done. The truth is that effective allergy treatment can dramatically improve your quality of life. Imagine:
- Waking up without congestion
- Enjoying outdoor activities without sneezing fits
- Sleeping through the night without nasal obstruction
- Reducing or eliminating your need for daily medications
These outcomes are achievable with proper diagnosis and treatment.
TrustyMed Clinic’s Allergy Clinic is here to help you find answers and lasting relief.
Don’t let another allergy season pass while you suffer unnecessarily. Whether you’re experiencing symptoms for the first time or have been dealing with them for years, our experienced team can provide the comprehensive evaluation and personalized care you need.
Contact us now to schedule your allergy consultation and take the first step toward feeling better.
Follow us on social media:
