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Summer colds always seem more troublesome than winter ones. A stuffed-up nose and scratchy throat ruin weekends and vacations. We also are at a loss about how we could have caught this cold in the first place.

But before you assume what you have is a cold, don’t rule out allergies.

When a cold isn’t a cold:
Colds go away in a week or so…and you should start feeling better even before then. Allergies go on for long periods of time, depending on the seasonal trigger. Examples in most parts of the country where there are four seasons:

Don’t expect to "recover" from your allergies. Seasonal allergies last throughout a season and will return next year. But you can at least find relief.