"Is it a Cold, or is it the Oak?" The 3-Day Rule for Spring 🗓️👃

It starts with a tickle. By lunch, you’re sneezing. By dinner, you’ve gone through half a box of tissues and you're canceling your evening plans. As you crawl into bed, you ask yourself the classic April question: "Did I catch that bug going around the office, or are the trees finally out to get me?"

It’s the great 2026 spring guessing game. You don't want to waste a sick day if it’s just pollen, but you don't want to power through a workout if you’re actually ill. Meanwhile, you’re tired of being "that person" at the grocery store—the one whose sneezing fit makes everyone else in the aisle take five steps back.

If you’ve been reaching for the tissues for more than 72 hours, it’s time to stop the guesswork. At Pure Allergy and Asthma, we help adults decide when it’s time to stop treating a cold and start treating an allergy.

Still Sneezing After Three Days? Here is Your Checklist 🕵️‍♂️✅

Colds and allergies are masters of disguise because they share the same "zip code" (your nose and throat). However, if you look closely at your symptoms, the truth starts to emerge. Here is how to tell if you’re fighting a virus or a "Pollen Tsunami":

• The "Itch" Factor: This is the smoking gun. Colds don't usually make your eyes, nose, or the roof of your mouth itch. If you feel like you need to scratch your throat with a pipe cleaner, it’s almost certainly the Oak, Maple, or Birch trees. 🌳👀

• The Fever Test: Allergies can make you feel miserable and "foggy," but they will never give you a fever. If your thermometer stays at 98.6°F but you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck, your immune system is likely overreacting to pollen, not a germ. 🌡️🚫

• The Mucus Mystery: It’s not a glamorous topic, but it’s important. Allergic drainage is almost always thin and crystal clear. If things are turning yellow or green, you might actually be dealing with an infection. 💧🧐

• The "Seven-Day" Wall: A typical spring cold peaks around day three and is mostly gone by day seven. If your "cold" has lasted two weeks and shows no sign of stopping, you aren't sick—you’re allergic. 🗓️⏳

The Annoyance of Being "The Professional Patient" 🤧👔

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to lead a meeting or enjoy a dinner date when you’re constantly "sniffling and dabbing." You’re tired of the "Are you sick?" comments. You’re tired of the dry, red skin around your nose from constant wiping. And most of all, you’re tired of taking decongestants that make you feel jittery during the day and keep you awake at night.

When you treat an allergy like a cold, you’re just putting a band-aid on a biological wildfire. Decongestants might clear you up for an hour, but they do nothing to stop the histamine storm that the spring air is brewing inside your body.

At Pure Allergy and Asthma, our specialist is ready to help you move past the guesswork and into a life where you can actually enjoy the spring breeze. You don't need another box of tissues; you need a strategy.

✨ Reach out to Pure Allergy and Asthma now—your nose (and your neighbors) will thank you!

Contact Pure Allergy & Asthma

• Phone/Text: 267-396-7873

• Website: www.pureallergyasthma.com

• Email: office@pureallergyasthma.com

• Location: 104 Pheasant Run, Suite 105A, Newtown, PA 18940

Wishing you well,

Neetu Dhawan, DO, FACAAI & the staff of PURE Allergy & Asthma