Every May the same question lands at our counter: 'Is this hayfever, or have I caught something?' The symptoms overlap enough to confuse, but a few patterns usually give it away.
Telling them apart
- Itchy eyes, nose and throat → strongly suggests hayfever
- Yellow or green mucus, body aches, fever → more likely a cold
- Symptoms tied to time outdoors → hayfever
- Symptoms lasting more than 10-14 days → hayfever or another allergy
What actually helps
Daily non-drowsy antihistamines started early in the season generally outperform reaching for them once symptoms flare. A steroid nasal spray adds further relief if eyes and nose are streaming. For severe or persistent allergy symptoms, our ALEX² Allergy Explorer blood test screens for 295 allergens in a single sample.
Want to talk it through?
Book a free conversation with our pharmacist.
