Spring is a beautiful time, but it often brings along runny noses, sneezing, and congestion. These symptoms can easily be mistaken for either a cold or seasonal allergies. Both share overlapping traits, but they stem from entirely different causes. A cold is caused by a virus, making it infectious, while seasonal allergies are your immune system’s reaction to harmless substances like pollen.

In many parts of the world, it is also the time when seasonal changes are occurring. With shorter springs, longer summers, or the transition in between, pollen is everywhere. However, it does not mean that other common virus and bacteria are gone. So, how do you differentiate between them, especially when you get sick? How do you know when you have a cold or an allergy.

Let us check this out!

What Are Seasonal Allergies?

Seasonal allergies, also known as hay fever or allergic rhinitis, happen when your immune system mistakenly sees pollen as a threat and releases chemicals like histamines to fight it. This overreaction leads to sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, and sometimes throat irritation.

Different types of pollen trigger allergies depending on the season. In spring, tree pollen is the main culprit. As the year progresses, grass and weed pollens take over. Due to rising global temperatures, allergy seasons are starting earlier and lasting longer than before.

What Is a Cold?

A cold is typically caused by viruses like the rhinovirus and is more common during seasonal transitions. It spreads easily through the air or by touching contaminated surfaces. Cold symptoms often include a sore throat, fatigue, congestion, sneezing, and a runny nose. You may also experience body aches and a mild fever.

Unlike allergies, which persist for weeks or even months, colds usually last between three and seven days for most healthy individuals.

Key Differences Between a Cold and Allergies

Despite their similarities, colds and allergies have a few clear distinctions:

Duration: A cold is short-lived, usually resolving within a week. Allergies persist throughout the pollen season.

Itchiness: Allergies commonly cause itchy eyes and throat. Colds may bring soreness but rarely itchiness.

Fever and Body Aches: Colds can come with mild fever and aches. Allergies do not.

Contagiousness: Colds are infectious; allergies are not. If you’re sneezing and spreading droplets, you could pass on a cold.

Mucus Color: Colds may lead to yellow or green mucus. Allergy mucus tends to stay clear.

Treating Seasonal Allergies

To manage allergy symptoms:

• Use saline nasal rinses to clear allergens.
• Apply anti-itch eye drops for relief.
• Take over-the-counter antihistamines or corticosteroid nasal sprays.
• Track local pollen levels and avoid high-pollen days.
• If symptoms persist despite self-care, consult a healthcare provider.

Treating a Cold

There’s no quick fix for a cold, but you can ease symptoms by:

• Getting plenty of rest.
• Drinking fluids to stay hydrated.
• Avoiding contact with others to prevent spreading the virus.
• Recovery usually comes with time and supportive care.

People believe that meditation is a simple and easy process that can help you feel peaceful and well. However, to achieve peacefulness through meditation one needs practice, and they also must understand the nuances of meditation. According to the National Center of Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), meditation refers to a variety of practices that help you focus on your mind and body. It has a lot of benefits, according to a 2012 survey 1.9% of US citizens practiced meditation and NCCIH also explains that it helps not just with anxiety, stress, depression, pain but also with withdrawal symptoms of nicotine, alcohol or opioids.

These claims were also supported by a recent study done on opioid cravings which revealed that mindful meditation can actually help nullify these cravings.

What is Opioid Addiction?

MedlinePlus explains that opioid addiction is a long-term illness where people feel a very strong, uncontrollable need to use opioid drugs, even if they don't need them for pain anymore. Opioids are a group of medicines that affect the body's nerves to make you feel good and less pain. Doctors sometimes prescribe these, like oxycodone or fentanyl, for really bad or ongoing pain. But some opioids, like heroin, are illegal and only used to get high.

When someone is addicted to opioids, they have a powerful urge to use them again and again. This can happen even if they were first prescribed the medicine by a doctor and took it as they were told. Many of these prescription opioids end up being misused or given to other people. People who become addicted might start to care more about getting and using the drugs than anything else in their life, which can cause big problems with their work and family.

Meditation's Impact on Opioid Cravings

According to research published in the JAMA Psychiatry in April 2025 there is encouraging news for those battling opioid addiction. The research showed that practicing mindfulness meditation can have a significant impact on reducing the intense urges to use the drug. In fact, when compared to standard support groups, people who learned mindfulness techniques experienced a remarkable 50% decrease in their opioid cravings. This suggests that training the mind through meditation could be a powerful tool in helping individuals regain control over their desires and move towards recovery.

Opioid addiction diminishes the brain's capacity to experience natural rewards, fueling drug cravings. This research indicates that mindfulness training can help rebuild this ability, lessening cravings and potentially preventing opioid misuse by enhancing responses to positive stimuli. The study utilized Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), an eight-week program combining mindfulness meditation with cognitive behavioral therapy and positive psychology. This comprehensive approach targets addiction, emotional distress, and chronic pain, addressing the multifaceted challenges of opioid dependence.

Brain Changes and Emotional Regulation Through Mindfulness

Using brain imaging and other measures, researchers observed that at the beginning of the study, individuals with opioid addiction showed a weaker response in their brains when they looked at things that are typically joyful, like happy babies. This reduced ability to feel positive emotions was linked to stronger drug cravings. However, as participants engaged in the MORE program, their brains started to react more strongly to these positive cues.

The positive findings of this study are not isolated. Earlier research on the MORE program also demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing opioid misuse, with participants showing a substantial 45% decrease over a nine-month period. This impact was nearly three times greater than that of standard group therapy. Beyond the individual benefits, economic analyses suggest that investing in MORE therapy could lead to significant cost savings for society by preventing fatal overdoses, reducing the need for expensive healthcare interventions, lowering crime rates associated with addiction, and increasing productivity in the workforce.

Why More Studies Like This Should Be Encouraged?

While the results of this study and previous work on MORE are very encouraging, the researchers emphasize that this is an ongoing area of investigation. They highlight the need for more extensive studies involving larger groups of people over longer periods to fully understand how mindfulness-based treatments can help the brain heal and support long-term recovery from opioid addiction.

Diseases can often have different effects on men and women due to obvious biological differences as well as hormonal- between the genders like the levels of certain hormones as well as the body's capacity to do certain tasks, etc. While conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure can also have a different effect on them. There are also other factors like psychological factors like men ignoring their health. A survey done by the Cleveland clinic showed that 65% of men avoid medical care for as long as they can, 44% men do not see a primary care provider regularly as 49% admitted that they do not keep up with a healthy diet.

A new study published in the PLOS Medicine journal reported that men are more likely to die from high blood pressure, HIV/AIDS and diabetes than women. The study revealed that this higher mortality rate appears to be linked to men being less likely to seek and consistently engage with medical care for these conditions.

What Causes Disparity Between Sexes?

One of the points highlighted in the study was that interestingly, men and women are each equally susceptible to the diseases. So the problem did not lie in a genetic or biological reason, it was rather the fact that men did not receive the proper treatment needed for their conditions. The key difference lies in what happens after a diagnosis. Men, for various reasons, appear less likely to actively participate in their healthcare, which can mean delaying doctor visits, not adhering to medication schedules, or not prioritizing regular check-ups. This difference in engagement has serious consequences for their long-term health outcomes.

Given these findings, researchers are emphasizing the urgent need to find better ways to encourage men to take a more active role in looking after their health. This includes promoting the importance of preventive care, so men are more likely to get regular screenings and catch potential problems early. It also means addressing the barriers that might prevent men from seeking medical attention when they need it and ensuring they feel comfortable and supported in engaging with healthcare services consistently over time to manage conditions effectively.

Why Should Men And Women's Health Managed Differently?

Researchers involved in the study highlights a crucial point: the medical world needs to recognize that men and women often experience and deal with their health in different ways. Healthcare providers need to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and develop strategies that are sensitive to these gender-specific behaviors and attitudes towards health. This might involve tailoring communication, making services more accessible and appealing to men, and designing treatment plans that better align with their lifestyles and preferences to improve adherence and ultimately lead to better health outcomes.

The research also uncovered that the primary factors contributing to health problems can sometimes differ between men and women. For example, in a large majority of the countries studied, men were significantly more likely to be smokers, which is a major risk factor for developing high blood pressure.

On the other hand, women in most countries had higher rates of obesity. These different risk factors, combined with the observed differences in how men and women seek and engage with healthcare services, help to explain the concerning disparities in death rates from these common diseases. Understanding these variations is a vital step towards creating more equitable healthcare for everyone.

How Men Can Manage Diabetes and High BP

To effectively manage both high blood pressure and diabetes, men can focus on several key lifestyle changes. Creating a healthy eating plan, even still enjoying favorite foods in moderation, is crucial. Regular physical activity, aiming for at least 150 minutes weekly, helps lower blood glucose and blood pressure. Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise is also vital. Additionally, getting enough sleep, managing stress through healthy coping mechanisms, and limiting salt and alcohol intake are important steps. For those who smoke, quitting and avoiding secondhand smoke is strongly recommended. Regular blood pressure monitoring is also essential for proactive management.

Susana Moreira, a 41-year-old woman from Santiago, Chile, has lived with a debilitating form of muscular dystrophy since childhood. She was diagnosed with this condition at the age of 8. Her condition has been progressive since then. As a result, she was bedridden for over 20 years. She was once able to move, but can now no longer walk, bathe, or care for herself.

Her muscles have continued to weaken and she is expected to eventually lose the ability to speak and breathe without help.

What Happens In Muscular Dystrophy?

As per the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, muscular dystrophy or MD refers to a group of genetic diseases that cause progressive weakness and degeneration of skeletal muscles. These disorders vary in age of onset, severity, and the pattern of affected muscle. However, one thing that is definite is that this condition is progressive in nature.

As per NIH, it affects by weakening the muscles. Muscles are made of thousands of fibers and these fibers contain cells surrounded by an outer layer of membrane. Muscle fibers that make these individual muscles are bound together by connective tissue. Muscles are activated when an impulse, or signal is sent from the brain. What happens in MD is the protective membrane of the muscle is damaged and the muscle fibers begin to leak protein creatine kinase and take excess calcium. This damages the muscle fibers and then causes the fibers to die, and thus leads to progressive muscle degeneration.

Right To Die

Moreira, is also facing the same condition, which will eventually make her unable to live with dignity. Therefore, she wants to be able to choose a dignified death, though euthanasia.

However, euthanasia and assisted dying are currently illegal in Chile. Her deeply personal plea has reignited a national conversation and become a symbol of the push for legal reform.

The Bill Is Stuck

Chile’s debate over euthanasia is not new. In 2021, the Chamber of Deputies approved a bill to allow both euthanasia and assisted suicide for adults suffering from terminal or incurable illnesses. But the legislation has since stalled in the Senate.

If passed, Chile would join countries like Belgium, Spain, Canada, and the Netherlands in legalizing both practices. In Latin America, Colombia already allows euthanasia, and Ecuador recently decriminalized it, though regulations are still pending.

Speaking Out Before It's Too Late

Confined to her home, Moreira spends her days reading, watching movies, and playing video games. Outings are rare due to the pain caused by sitting in a wheelchair for too long. In a letter to President Gabriel Boric, she urged him to support the bill and shared her fears about reaching a stage where she could no longer communicate her wishes.

President Boric responded publicly, calling the bill “an act of empathy, responsibility and respect,” and promised to prioritize it in his final year in office. However, political turmoil has since pushed the issue to the sidelines.

A Growth In Support

While Chile was once considered one of Latin America’s most conservative nations, attitudes toward euthanasia have shifted. A 2024 Cadem survey found that 75% of Chileans support euthanasia. Another study by the Center for Public Studies reported 89% support for allowing it either always or in special cases.

Supporters argue the law would offer people suffering from terminal conditions a humane and legal option. Critics, however, say better access to palliative care must come first. Chile passed a law in 2022 guaranteeing palliative care, but experts argue its implementation is uneven.

The debate has also been shaped by other moving stories, such as that of Valentina Maureira, a teen who pleaded publicly for euthanasia in 2015 but was denied and died shortly after.