Having nasal congestion could mean a few different things, and in the post-COVID world, identifying its underlying cause can be a game of health care bingo. Understanding your respiratory symptoms is as vital as receiving the right treatment for them, yet this isn’t always easy since cold, flu, COVID-19, and allergy symptoms often overlap.
We’ve gathered some of the key distinctions between these conditions to help you crack the code, as well as some natural remedies to help you out along the way.
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Handy symptom checklist
| Symptoms | Allergies | Cold | Flu | COVID-19 |
| body aches | rarely | yes | yes | yes |
| chills | no | no | no | no |
| fever | no | rarely | yes | yes |
| headache | sometimes | sometimes | yes | yes |
| nasal congestion | yes | yes | sometimes | yes |
| runny nose | yes | yes | sometimes | yes |
| sneezing | yes | yes | sometimes | sometimes |
| itchy/watery eyes | yes | no | no | no |
| dry cough | sometimes | yes | yes | yes |
| shortness of breath | sometimes | sometimes | sometimes | sometimes |
| wheezing | sometimes | sometimes | sometimes | sometimes |
| loss of smell | mild | rarely | rarely | less common |
| sore throat | sometimes | yes | yes | yes |
| nausea, vomiting, diarrhea | no | sometimes | sometimes | sometimes |
| itchy, scratchy throat | yes | no | no | no |
| fatigue | sometimes | sometimes | yes | yes |
Natural remedies
Cold
- echinacea
- elderberry
- ginseng
- zinc
Flu
- vitamin C
- vitamin D
- beta carotene
- probiotics
COVID-19
- Vitamin C and zinc may help mitigate COVID-19’s severity and duration.
- Medicinal mushrooms and curcumin may limit COVID-19 symptoms.
Allergies
- bromelain
- quercetin
The air you breathe
Indoor air is often as hazardous as outdoor air, and it can aggravate respiratory symptoms in people with pulmonary conditions. Make sure your home is well-ventilated, not too humid or dry, tested for radon, and free of any leaks or exhaust.
