Is it allergies, or something worse? A runny rose and scratchy throat equals a ringing alarm bell when you’ve been clocking those fitness goals, and it seems that Murphy’s law is about to throw you off your A-game. Again. Because being a sneezing mess can only mean that you’re about to skip some (or all) of your upcoming workouts. But do you really have to?
Well, not necessarily — at least not if you don’t have the flu. Because there’s colds and allergies too — and yes, they all present similar symptoms with very different downtimes. So best you learn to tell them apart to choose the best course of treatment… and possibly save those gym gains.
Is it a cold, the flu, or allergies?
While a cold, the flu and allergies may all feel the same, timing is one of the most obvious differentiators. How soon did the symptoms come on, and do you notice a pattern in its onset? A cold is different from the flu in that its symptoms generally develop gradually, while the flu will hit you fast. Does your sneeze-attack happen around the same time each day? Then you may be suffering from an allergy.
This cool infographic from Cipla makes it easy to tell the difference between the three.
*© The State of the United Airways – Brought to you by Cipla Allergy. Infographic courtesy of Dr Diane Hawarden MBChB, October 2019.
So, what does this mean for your workout routine? The experts generally approve mild physical activity if you don’t have a fever and you only experience cold symptoms “above the neck” i.e. a runny nose or sore throat. Any kind of fever or “below the neck” symptoms, including chest pain and coughing, is a definite no-no!*
Win with Cipla #Rhinoria
Do you feel more comfortable with telling the symptoms of colds, flu and allergies apart now? Great, because you can get rewarded for that. Cipla’s Rhinoria campaign gets that understanding your symptoms is crucial to a faster recovery, so they’re giving away a safari trip to the value of R15 000 – if you answer their allergy-related question correctly. Yup, you could be flu-free on safari!
Bonus: You also stand a chance to win one of 15 vouchers from Cape Union Mart worth R1 000 each. Enter now!
