Posted on May 31st, 2023

What is a Summer Cold?

A summer cold is an illness that occurs during summer but recovers in a few days. Summer cold usually occurs in the months from June to August. However, it can also occur at any time of the year. There are different summer cold symptoms depending upon the strain of the virus causing it. The symptoms resemble that of the common cold.

Colds are not the result of the effects of climate change, although they frequently occur in the winter and fall months. The causative agent of the common cold is the rhinovirus. However, there are different strains of this virus. You can produce immunity to the common cold if you catch that strain of the virus. Due to the many strains of the virus, people still get colds many times a year.

What are Summer Allergies?

Summer allergy is hay fever affecting several people in the U.S. These allergies are caused by a reaction to the different particles in the air like pollen grains. Allergies can affect the nose, throat, lungs, and eyes. These allergies can have drastic effects in the summer and spring seasons.

Differences Between Summer Colds vs Allergies

You have to consider different factors to determine whether you have summer cold symptoms or summer allergies.

How long will it last?

The average span of the summer cold is about seven days. However, some may have these symptoms for up to 14 days as coughing and sneezing. But summer allergies have an occurring time of more than 14 days and can last for the complete allergy season.

Timing of Symptoms

The summer cold symptoms are mild in the start and then are resolved after some time. However, symptoms of allergy remain constant for some time and can also decrease or increase if you move the different geographical regions. If you remain in the region where allergens are present, the condition can stay even worse.

Types of Symptoms

The summer cold symptoms include thick mucous in yellow or green color from your nose or during coughing. However, in the case of allergies, nasal discharge is thin and clear. However, colds and allergies have some shared symptoms like throat itching, runny nose, and fever.

Summer Cold Treatment

Summer cold does not have a specific treatment. The purpose of existing treatments is to get relief from the symptoms and are not able to decrease the cold duration or eliminate the cold. You can take cough suppressants, humidifiers, and nasal decongestants. As summer colds are caused by viruses, antibiotics are not effective for their treatment. The symptoms of a cold fade away after some time. However, you should visit our urgent care center before taking medicines to consult with our healthcare professionals.

How to Avoid a Summer Cold

You can take some preventive measures to avoid the chance of getting a summer cold. These measures include:

• Clean your hands regularly. Avoid touching surfaces contaminated with viruses as colds can spread through touch from person to person.
• Enhance your immunity by getting enough sleep, taking a healthy diet, and avoiding stress. These methods will strengthen your immune system.