Most people can’t tell the difference between allergies and sinus disease. This is because the two have almost identical symptoms: painful nose, sneezing and coughing. The truth is that the two are very different. Here are their differences:

Causes of allergy and sinus disease

Allergy is caused by allergens that can be pollen, pet dander, dust, mold spores or anything else that might provoke your body to release histamine. Histamine causes the nose lining, sinuses and eyes to get inflamed. In the effort of getting rid of the allergen, the nose lining produces fluids that can provoke you to start sneezing and wheezing.

There are many causative agents for the sinus infection. They include: viruses, bacteria, nasal polyps and deviated nasal septum. These agents result to cold like symptoms.

Onset and duration of allergy and sinus infection

The other difference between the two conditions is in how they develop and the length of time that they last. According to allergy experts, sinus infections don’t just come up—you tend to experience mild symptoms over a few days. In most cases, you have an upper respiratory infection or cold for at least 10 days. This isn’t the case with allergies. When you are having an allergy, you are in good health one minute and then you are fighting for your life the next—the symptoms are abrupt and come up as soon as you get into contact with the allergen.

When it comes to duration, sinus infections last about two weeks after which they go away. Most of the allergies are seasonal allergies where they come up during spring when there are plenty of allergens in the air. Allergies don’t have a definite duration time as their duration depends on the local allergen count. When there are many allergens, the symptoms last for a long time and vice versa.

Severity of the symptoms

While the two conditions have similar symptoms, the severity of the symptoms varies. Symptoms of allergies are usually mild compared to those in sinus infections.

Conclusion

This is how the two conditions differ. To treat the conditions you should use over the counter decongestants. The medications work by reducing blood flow to the affected areas thus creating more room for you to clear the congestion. Some of the best decongestants that you can use are pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine. If you aren’t sure of the condition that you are having, you should first consult your allergy doctor before taking the medications.