Common cold or hay fever.

[meriva]

There are 4 people in my household and 3 of us caught the cold around the same time(4-5 weeks ago).Two of us got rid of the cold after a week but mine's has raged on for over 4 weeks.The cold is in my head and I feel really miserable and tired at times.I take 2 paracetamol a day to give some relief for a while.I've had my share of colds over the years(I'm now in my sixties) but I've never had one lasting as long as this.Could this be hay fever rather than the cold because I've been told that the symptoms are similar.I take 1 hay fever tablet a day but it doesn't seem to help.Can anyone help?

[237SJ]

Could it be sinusitis? That makes me feel tired as well

[boxtops]

If it's hay fever, you will find your eyes may stream as well as your nose, and a muzzy sort of headache - and sometimes a cough. You may find that the hay fever tablet you are taking isn't strong enough - go and chat to your pharmacist, they can diagnose over the counter and perhaps sell you a nasal spray as well as a different antihistamine. Pollen levels have been high for a long time in some parts of the country - it's worth a try.

[Sqad]

Is a virus, it may even be another virus that has followed. Can anyone help you say....NO.

Keep taking the tablets (Paracetamol or Ibuprofen) 2 paracetamol a day is inadequate, try Ibuprofen 600mgms twice daily and remember, as you get older it may take longer to recover.

[chazza]

I'm a hay fever sufferer and I find that paracetamol have absolutely no effect on hay fever, but they do on a cold.

That being said, i had the cold for weeks over last Christmas, so it could just be a long lasting one

[meriva]

Thanks to everyone who answered.I am still not sure if it's the cold or hayfever but my eys are not watering and I am not sneezing so I am beginning to think it's not hayfever but the cold.I bought Olbas Oil inhaler this morning to see if that will unblock my nose a bit.