If you have had your air conditioning on for a couple of weeks now, but have suddenly seemed to develop a "summer cold," it may not be a cold at all. In fact, it could be your air conditioning! There are a couple of things that could be contributing to your inability to breathe whilst your A/C is running. 

Dirty Air Filters

Dirty air filters in your furnace will cause you to tear up, itch, sneeze and sniffle, so it should not be as much of a stretch when you are told that your A/C filters are dirty. Since your air conditioner has two main jobs--to cool the air and to condition it for breathability, it should not surprise you that these units have air filters too. Cleaning your A/C's air filter is not hard either. You simply remove the filter and wash it with warm soap and water. If it is not the type of filter that can be removed, you can still hand-wash it with a warm soapy rag, then wipe it down with a dry towel.

Pollen Sneaking in on the Breeze

The condenser units for many air conditioners pull hot air out of your home and send it to the outside. Then it cools air from outside and sends it back in. The problem is, pollen from some weeds and plants is small enough to ride the cool air back into your home. This is especially true if the filters are not doing their job. If you already know that you have outdoor allergies and avoid going outside right now, it may be that your air conditioner is sending some of the tinier grains of pollen inside. A very special air filter and/or barrier inside your unit can block these smaller pollen grains from getting inside, thereby reducing your reaction to their presence and allowing you to breathe freely again.

Sharp Changes in Temperature

The human body is a finicky thing. Extreme shifts in temperature can cause your immune system to get a little wonky, and that includes your sinuses and your airway. You may not have a "summer cold," but you may have a reaction to the sudden shift in temperature between outside and inside. Recognizing how often your body goes into "shock" by causing you to seek out a warm bed or blankets and other comforts is a sure sign that maybe you need to adjust your cooling thermostat slowly over a couple of weeks so you do not experience this weird knee-jerk reaction from your body.

Contact a company like Smedley & Associates for more help with your AC.