This time of year, also known as allergy season, many people find themselves wondering, "Do I have a cold, or am I having allergy symptoms?"

Many of the symptoms of a cold and allergies can be very similar. Both may give you runny nose, watery eyes, nasal congestion and sneezing. The classic allergy symptom, which you will not experience with a cold, is itching. People with allergies have itchy eyes, nose, and sometimes itchy ears and mouth.

A cold, however, which is caused by a viral infection, typically lasts for 5 to 10 days, while allergy symptoms last much longer. And, allergies are reproduced with the trigger, such as pollen, dust or pet dander, or occur each season. A cold may also give you a fever and make you feel achy all over. Allergies may make you feel tired, but despite the name, "hay fever" does not cause a fever.

Learn more:

• Comparison of Allergy Symptoms versus the Common Cold
• How to Tell if You Could Have Allergies
• Diagnosing Allergies

Spring is here again, often the worst time of the year for allergy sufferers. Up to 1 in 3 people suffer from allergic rhinitis, or hay fever. These symptoms can result in a significant reduction in a person's quality of life, including affects the ability to work, play and even sleep. And, while there is a large selection of allergy medications on the market, these only help so much.

Unlike medications, which serve to only "cover-up" allergy symptoms, immunotherapy can fix the underlying problem of hay fever. In fact, a large percentage of people receiving immunotherapy do not need additional allergy medicines, and are in a sense cured. And, while allergy medications only work as long as you keep taking them, immunotherapy can work for many years after completing a course of injections, resulting in a significant cost savings in the long run. Yet immunotherapy is misunderstood, and therefore often underused.

Learn more:

• Allergy Shots (Traditional Subcutaneous Immunotherapy)
• Allergy Drops (Sublingual Immunotherapy)
• Which is Better -- Allergy Shots or Drops?

There is much debate as to whether or not there actually is global warming on the earth, and whether this is a man-made or a natural event. If the earth truly is warming, we might expect a "greenhouse" effect, causing the increased growth of plants as well as an increase in the pollination of these plants. We might also expect the pollinating seasons of these plants, such as spring and fall, to occur earlier in the year and to last longer. Three recent studies showed that pollen seasons are occurring earlier in the year, lasting longer, and resulting in more airborne pollen. Worsening of pollen allergies may be another effect of global warming that has yet to be fully recognized.

Read more:

• Pollen Allergies
• Why Allergies are Becoming More Common
• Can Allergies be Prevented?

With the close of the Winter Olympics, winter is unofficially over and spring allergies are upon us. In many parts of the country, especially the southern parts of the United States, trees are already pollinating heavily.

If you haven't already done so, your first step in planning your fight against spring allergies is to see an allergist. Your allergist can determine what allergies you have with allergy testing, and then formulate a treatment plan best suited to your needs. This may include allergen prevention, medications and the consideration of immunotherapy.

Share with us your plan on how to manage your allergies this spring: