ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Spring is in full bloom and so may be your allergies. But with every cough, sneeze, or tickle of the throat, many may wonder “Do I have COVID-19?”
Pollen, grass, dust, pets or COVID? Which one is causing your itchy, watery eyes and runny nose? If you have these symptoms most likely it’s not caused by COVID.
“Environmental allergies typically you would have itchy, runny eyes; itchy, runny nose; sneezing attacks,” said Suresh Raja, MD, an allergies and sinus doctor at Aspire.
COVID-19 rarely causes a runny nose or sneezes and doesn’t cause itchiness. But COVID can cause you to have a fever, chills, muscle aches and pains, while allergies do not. Also …
“GI symptoms is not something we normally see with environmental allergies,” continued Dr. Raja.
So, if you’re experiencing nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, check to see if you have other symptoms related to COVID. Dr. Raja notes that having allergies does put people at a greater risk for serious COVID.
“It’s all about inflammation. So, the more inflamed you are, the more likely you would be to have more serious effects if you were to contract the COVID-19 virus,” shared Dr. Raja.
So, stay away from allergy triggers and if that doesn’t work, consult an allergist for medication right away.
It is also possible to have allergies and COVID at the same time. So, contact your doctor if you have your regular allergy symptoms, such as itchy eyes and runny nose, along with fever and chills.