ColumbiaCare

With the welcoming of winter and its weather, we must also greet the beginning of cold season.

As the common cold runs rampant throughout your office or school, before you jump to conclusions, you may need to evaluate your symptoms. When damp weather appears and old holiday decorations come out, dust, mold and other allergens also emerge and may initially seem like the symptoms of a cold.

So, if you are not sure what gives you the sniffles, then take a look at the table below from the November/December issue of WebMD: The Magazine and WebMD.com. This quick little assessment can raise some important questions to ask your doctor.

Be sure to check out WebMD’s “Cold & Flu Health Center” for more detailed information and answers to questions about your colds and allergies.

How do you keep dust and mold at bay during this busy season?

Trying to prevent the cold before it gets to you?

Take a look at eHow.com’s 9-step cold and flu season preparation tips and mamashealth.com’s ideas for avoiding the cold.