Tips for Battling a Summer Cold

It’s a balmy 80-degree Saturday in summer, and your family is excited to get an early start for a day at the lake. You wake up as the sun is rising only to discover you’ve developed a scratchy throat and stuffy nose. Is it a cold, you wonder? Allergies? Most importantly, how can you speed recovery so you don’t miss out on the best months of the year?

Dr. Long Nguyen, Family Medicine Physician at ThedaCare Physicians-Wautoma, answers these questions and more to help you get back to better, faster.

What causes summer colds?

Like winter colds, viruses cause most summer colds, though some can be bacterial in nature. You’re more likely to catch a type of virsus called an enterovirus during the warmer months of the year. Rhinoviruses, on the other hand, survive better in colder weather.

Enteroviruses cause up to 15 million illnesses in the United States every year. Most of these occur between June and October, according to the National Institutes of Health. These viruses enter your body through your nose, throat, eyes, digestive system, and more. They cause many of the same symptoms as winter rhinoviruses. They can cause other, more severe symptoms as well.

Winter colds commonly spread because people are indoors and in closer contact with one another. Similarly, summer colds can spread at large social gatherings where you may interact with many people and get exposed to more viruses and bacteria.

“Anything you come in contact with can spread a cold, including, but not limited to, aerosolized particles or something you physically touch,” Dr. Nguyen says.

What symptoms do Summer colds cause?

The most common symptoms of a summer cold are:

• Runny nose
• Congestion
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Headache
• Sinus pressure
• Sore throat
• Low energy
• Muscle aches

Additional symptoms of summer colds are more specific to getting sick during the warmer months. This is due to your body responding to an enterovirus rather than a rhinovirus, and may result in:

• Sudden fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Pink eye
• Small blisters on the mouth and throat
• Hand, foot, and mouth disease (blisters on mouth, throat, hands, and feet accompanied by flu-like symptoms)
• Meningitis and myocarditis, in very rare cases

What’s the Difference between a summer cold and allergies?

If you experience milder symptoms of a summer cold and also occasionally suffer from allergies, it may be hard to tell if your immune system is fighting off a virus or reacting to pollen or other foreign substances.

To determine whether it’s a cold or allergies, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I have a fever?
  Allergies to dust, pollen, and other airborne particles do not cause fevers. If you have a fever, you likely have a summer cold.
• When did I start feeling sick?
  Symptoms of seasonal allergies start as soon as you come into contact with the allergen. Symptoms of a cold, meanwhile, take about one to three days to appear after exposure to the virus or bacteria.
• How long have I been feeling sick?
  Allergies can last for weeks, while a cold will usually clear up within 10 days. A cold will be worse at the beginning and then get better. Allergies will feel about the same every day. Also take note if your symptoms get better when you’re inside using the air conditioning. If this is the case, you’re likely experiencing allergies.
• Do I feel tired and weak?
  Colds can cause fatigue, exhaustion, and muscle aches. Allergies, while miserable, rarely make you tired or achy.
• What type of medicine makes me feel better?
  Antihistamines prevent your body from reacting to allergens. They’re great for allergies, but they don’t help with cold symptoms. If you feel better after taking an antihistamine, you are likely experiencing allergies.

why DO summer colds feel worse than winter colds?

If you determine that you have a summer cold vs. allergies, the good news is that you’ll get better soon. But for the next week or so, you may feel pretty awful.

There is no definitive rule about what makes you feel sicker in the summer compared to the winter. Each cold presents different symptoms, varies in severity, and is caused by a different virus or bacteria.

“A cold can run through the family and everyone gets sick, but each person will respond differently,” Dr. Nguyen says. “The difference in response is not in a person’s head, but instead is dependent on their body and immune system.”