Please participate in the poll . The main difference between a cold and allergies is the length of time the symptoms last. A cold normally disappears after a week to 10 days. Allergies, on the other hand, can last for weeks or even longer. The cold is caused by one of more than 200 known viruses.
Symptoms usually show up about two days after a person becomes exposed.
A sore, scratchy throat, sneezing, and a runny nose that starts out clear, turns discolored and then disappears are the usual signs of a cold. Other symptoms may include a low-grade temperature, swollen glands, headache, watering eyes, hacking cough, and a sick, achy feeling. Colds are contagious. They are easily spread when a well person breathes in germs or comes in direct contact with an infected person or an object the infected person has touched. The best prevention tactics are to wash your hands more frequently and keep them away from your eyes, nose and mouth.