Difference between hay fever and colds?

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How can I tell the difference between hay fever and the common cold? I live with someone who seems to always be getting sick-one right after the other. He usually has a cough, but lately his symptoms have been a really nasal voice and a lot of sneezing. He claims to not have a sore throat. Since I have both anxiety and OCD, it is very hard to live with someone who may or may not be contagious. Please don't tell me what causes hay fever or a cold-I already know that. But how can I tell if I should worry about him being contagious (because I know hay fever isn't)? The symptoms are too similar. This is keeping me very isolated in my home. I need to know if he is experiencing hay fever or if he is getting several colds. Thanks.

This guy sounds the way I did, before I found out I'm allergic to house dust and mold. Every winter I'd start sneezing, then wheezing, then before long I'd have an upper respiratory infection! A simple way to tell if it's an allergy is for the person with symptoms to begin taking an antihistamine, like Claritin. If the symptoms remain, or worsen, then he should see an ear, nose and throat specialist.

seems to me he needs to see a dr. to be sure but
the sympotoms you describe could be either...he may also have a sinus infection. It could be any of those things really. I get hay fever and sinus infections all the time in the winter.

One general difference is that with a cold, you feel sick all over - achy muscles, tired. With an allergy (hay fever), the symptoms are more isolated to sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes. That's not always enough to tell, but hope that helps.

A cold normally comes along with a fever, aches and pains, and the chills, averages approximately 2 weeks. Allergies are normally coughing, sneezing, and nasal congestion, but you can normally function for the most part. Allergies can last for months.