You reach for tissues, you've got a sore throat or your nose is all clogged up. Are you having a bout of colds? Or are these symptoms of allergic rhinitis?

Here are some telltale symptoms to differentiate colds from allergies:

• A cold is sometimes accompanied by a fever. Allergic rhinitis never is.


• A cold sometimes generates bodily aches and pains. Allergic rhinitis never does.


• A cold often triggers coughing, sometimes a hacking cough. Allergic rhinitis seldom does.


• A cold often includes a sore throat. Allergic rhinitis sometimes does.

If it turns out to be colds, it should go away on its own, without medication. Although antibiotics won't work on colds as they are caused by viruses, if your symptoms last longer than a week without improvement, you might want to see a doc as you might have other infections on top of the colds. If it's allergic rhinitis you're having, you'll be needing antihistamines, and you have to identify what triggers your symptoms. The only way to keep the symptoms from recurring is to keep away from offending substances.