Colds vs. Allergies

Ever since Saturday or so, I have been very congested and have probably blown my nose at least 200 times. I also have some funky laryngitis, and am speaking in a husky voice, a la Bea Arthur. My symptoms are consistent with my typical spring allergies, and the tree pollen in our area has been listed as "very high" lately. I simply assumed that the 2009 allergy season was at long last underway.

Curiously, though, Jim has been exhibiting all of the same symptoms that I have. (With the exception of sounding like Bea Arthur - he actually sounds more like James Earl Jones.) But he has never had allergies anytime in his life. So, is Jim perhaps joining the ranks of the world's allergy sufferers in his old age? Or does he simply have a cold? And, if he has a cold, could I possibly just have a cold, too?

I usually distinguish between colds and allergies by the length of time the symptoms last. A cold will go away in about a week. Allergies can come and go for months. In addition, allergy symptoms wax and wane, even during the same day, while cold symptoms stay fairly consistent hour-to-hour. If I feel better this weekend, it could be because a cold has run it's course. Or, it might also mean that the tree pollen levels have declined. So, who really knows?

Since Adam is also experiencing some negative signs of the extreme tree pollen that is wreaking havoc in our neck of the woods, I have concluded that I most likely do just have my usual spring allergies. Either way, I look forward to my sinuses clearing up!