Sneezing, runny nose, blocked nose -- the symptoms of hay fever and a cold look very similar. Yet they are two very different conditions. A cold is caused by a virus and is contagious. Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen and is not contagious. Recognising the difference is important, because the treatment also differs.

The key differences

Itching: the key symptom

Itchy eyes, itchy nose, tickly palate = typical hay fever. A cold does not cause itching.

Nasal mucus colour

Hay fever: clear and watery. Cold: starts clear, becomes yellow or green after a few days.

Sneezing: fits or occasional

Hay fever: sneezing fits of 5--10 sneezes in a row, recurring repeatedly. Cold: occasional sneezing.

Fever and sore throat

Cold: often sore throat and mild fever. Hay fever: no fever (despite the name), at most a tickle in the throat.

Duration

Cold: 7--10 days and then over. Hay fever: weeks to months, as long as you are exposed to pollen.

Season and pattern

Hay fever: returns every year in the same period, worse in warm dry weather. Cold: can occur at any time.

Quick self-test

Probably hay fever if you: have itchy eyes, recurring sneezing fits, symptoms lasting longer than 2 weeks, symptoms worse outdoors on sunny days.

Probably a cold if you: have a sore throat and fever, yellow/green nasal mucus, symptoms that disappear after 7--10 days.

When to see your doctor?

  • Your symptoms last longer than 3--4 weeks and you are not sure whether it is hay fever or something else.
  • Over-the-counter antihistamines or nasal spray are not helping enough.
  • You also experience breathlessness or wheezing -- this may indicate hay fever-related asthma.
  • You have a fever above 38.5 degrees C alongside nasal symptoms -- this points to an infection, not hay fever.

Your doctor can carry out an allergy test (blood test or skin prick test) to determine whether you are allergic to specific pollen.

Treatment differs

For a cold

Rest, plenty of fluids, possibly nasal drops. Antibiotics do not help (it is a virus). It resolves on its own.

For hay fever

Antihistamines, nasal corticosteroids, and in severe cases immunotherapy. Check the pollen map.