- Dust mites Usually lurking in furniture, bedding, and carpets, dust mites love warm, damp environments. Their dead bodies and poop can easily get into the household dust. Unwashed bedding and indoor heating can both make them worse and send them out into the air.
- Mold Mold loves dark, moist areas like your bathroom and basement. A damp environment, which could develop as a result of leaky pipes can further promote their growth.
- Pet dander If you have a pet, then their dander may trigger an allergic response from you.
- Your mucus is clear. With an allergic reaction, your mucus is watery or clear and it will stay like that (in contrast to a cold where the mucus will become discolored).
- You’ve had the sniffles for more than a week now. Cold symptoms like the sniffles usually clear up within a week. If it lasts more than a week, then you are most likely having an allergic reaction.
- You’re not having body aches, fever, or cough. There are over 200 strains of viruses that can cause colds. Each produces different symptoms, including body aches, cough, and fever. An allergy usually doesn’t cause these.
- Your symptoms remain the same. If you have the same symptoms day after day, it is most likely an allergy. The symptoms are usually intense for the first few days but they often don’t progress to something else.
- Your symptoms show up in certain situations or places. Allergy symptoms typically occur in certain situations or places (e.g. staying indoors for too long, being in a house with a cat, etc.).Allergy symptoms can ruin your days. So, it’s important to avoid the possible triggers and see a specialist like an ENT find the most appropriate treatment options for you.