Is it a cold or allergies?

Allergies of the respiratory tract often produce symptoms similar to those of a cold, including congestion, stuffy or runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and wheezing. Allergies and colds are often confused.

For some people, allergy symptoms appear during a specific pollen season. Other people experience problems throughout the year when exposed to mold and dust in their homes or workplace. Allergic rhinitis, or 'hay fever,' affects upwards of 40 million people in the U.S. Some of these people may be sensitive to only one or two substances, while others are sensitive to many.

Particularly at certain times of the year, it may be difficult to tell if nasal symptoms are due to the common cold or caused by allergies, since the symptoms can be very similar. However, there are also some clear differences.
Allergy symptoms generally last for as long as the 'trigger' is present. For example, pollen allergies may last for several months. Symptoms of a cold generally resolve within a week. Inside the nose the mucus membranes are often swollen and pale in color when allergies are present. During colds, the color is often more of a bright red.

Your physician may see different signs during a physical exam that help determine if you have a cold or allergies. For either condition, many physicians recommend saline nasal sprays to help maintain nasal health, since saline sprays are non-medicated (drug free), safe for frequent daily use, and do not interact with other medications that you may be taking.

OCEAN Ultra® is a new sterile saline spray that contains a special moisturizing agent - hyaluronan - and a unique salt-blend solution shown to clear mucus effectively. 1-6
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References: 1. Rosen F. Rhinosinusitis: current concepts. Grand Rounds Presentation, UTMB, Dept. of Otolaryngology. 2. May 1, 2002. 2. Unal M, et al. J Laryngol Otol. 2002;116:536-538. 3. Adam P, et al. Arch Fam Med. 1998;7:39-43. 4. Baraniuk J, et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1999;160:655-662. 5. Rytila PH, et al. Eur Respir J. 2000;15:1116-1119. 6. Cordray S, et al. ENT. 2005;84:426-430.

Study did not evaluate any OCEAN® Saline Nasal Spray products.

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