Spring allergies or a cold? How to tell and when to see a GP

September 2, 2026Mediwell Support General Practitioners Fourways mediwell

A runny nose during a Johannesburg spring can leave you wondering whether you have picked up a cold or reacted to something in the air. The symptoms overlap, but their timing and the way you feel overall can offer useful clues. Repeated sneezing with itchy eyes often points towards an allergy; a gradually developing sore throat and feeling unwell may fit a viral infection.

These clues cannot confirm a diagnosis at home. What matters most is noticing the pattern, choosing suitable symptom relief and recognising when an assessment is needed.

Which symptoms suggest an allergy?

Allergic rhinitis is inflammation inside the nose caused by an allergic reaction. Pollen is one possible trigger, alongside house dust mites, mould and animal dander. Symptoms can appear soon after exposure and may include an itchy nose or mouth, repeated sneezing, nasal blockage and watery, itchy eyes.

Ask yourself whether symptoms appear after gardening, spending time outdoors or entering a particular room. Do they ease when you leave? Have similar symptoms occurred around the same season before? A repeating exposure pattern is useful information for your GP, although it does not identify the precise allergen on its own.

Hay fever can continue for weeks or months while exposure persists. Tiredness can occur too, so feeling tired alone does not reliably separate an allergy from an infection.

Which symptoms fit a cold?

A common cold is a viral infection that often starts with nasal stuffiness and throat irritation. South Africa’s primary healthcare guidance notes that symptoms can last up to two weeks. A cold usually settles on its own, although ear, sinus or chest complications can develop.

Itchiness and a consistent link to a trigger favour allergy, but symptoms alone are not a reliable test. Flu can cause a sudden fever, muscle aches, cough and marked tiredness. The NICD advises that flu and other respiratory infections can overlap in their presentation. Feeling much more unwell than you normally do with hay fever is a reason to reassess the situation.

Use local pollen information carefully

South African pollen exposure varies by region, plants and weather. An overseas pollen calendar is therefore a poor guide to what is happening around your home in Fourways. The Allergy Foundation of South Africa recommends considering local pollen information together with your symptoms and exposure history.

A short diary can help: note the date, where you were, your main symptoms, whether you felt feverish and what you tried. Regional monitoring tells you what is in the air at a monitoring site; it cannot establish your personal exposure or prove that pollen caused your symptoms.

What can you do while symptoms are mild?

Start with the triggers that are relevant to you. If pollen has been identified as a problem, local counts and a symptom diary can help you plan outdoor activities. If symptoms occur mainly indoors, discuss dust mites, pets or mould with your clinician rather than assuming every springtime symptom comes from grass.

The South African Allergic Rhinitis Working Group emphasises that the history, examination and relevant allergy tests need to be considered together. Testing may help when the cause is unclear or symptoms remain troublesome; a positive result alone does not establish what is causing your day-to-day symptoms.

Ask a pharmacist or GP which treatment suits your age, health conditions and other medicines. Nasal-spray technique matters, and a spray for ongoing inflammation has a different role from a quick-relief decongestant. Prolonged decongestant use can worsen blockage. Some antihistamines cause drowsiness, so mention driving or work that requires alertness. Do not stop or change regular medicines to prepare for tests unless the treating professional instructs you.

For a mild cold, rest from strenuous activity and drink adequate fluids. Cover coughs and sneezes, clean your hands and avoid close contact with others while unwell. Antibiotics do not treat the viruses responsible for a common cold; the need for any treatment for a complication requires assessment.

When should you book a GP appointment?

Arrange an assessment if nasal symptoms repeatedly disturb sleep, affect work or school, persist despite appropriate treatment, or have no clear cause. Worsening asthma needs prompt attention. South African primary healthcare guidance recommends referral for severe or persistently troublesome allergic rhinitis.

For cold-like symptoms, seek advice if you develop earache, significant sinus pain, worsening illness or symptoms continuing beyond two weeks. Do not wait that long if you have breathing difficulty, a persistent fever or are becoming more unwell. People who are pregnant, older, immunocompromised or living with significant chronic illness should seek advice earlier about flu-like illness.

A persistent cough, night sweats, unexplained weight loss or contact with someone with TB also needs assessment in South Africa. Tell your clinician about these features rather than assuming the cough is an allergy. A GP or local clinic can decide whether testing or referral is needed.

Know the signs that need urgent help

Severe breathing difficulty, sudden swelling of the tongue or throat, difficulty swallowing, collapse or marked confusion require emergency care. Do not wait for an ordinary appointment or assume these are hay fever symptoms. In South Africa, call 112 from a cellphone or 10177 for an ambulance, or obtain immediate care at a hospital emergency department.

Getting help at Mediwell

Mediwell’s GP and medical assessment services include care for seasonal allergies and cold or flu symptoms. Contact the Fourways centre about an appropriate appointment. Bring your symptom diary and the names of products you have used, so the consultation can focus on what is most likely to help you.

This article provides general health information and does not diagnose symptoms or replace an assessment by a qualified healthcare professional.