Coming down with a cold or suffering through allergies this spring may be bad enough. Making matters worse, these conditions also cause rosacea flare-ups in many individuals, according to a recent survey on rosacea and other medical conditions by the National Rosacea Society.

In the survey of 837 rosacea sufferers, 32 percent of the respondents reported that their rosacea flared up when they experienced allergic reactions. Twenty-four percent said colds aggravated their condition, and 20 percent cited fever as a problem. Of the women who responded, 21 percent said menopause had triggered flare-ups.

Other medical conditions associated with flare-ups in various rosacea sufferers included cough (12 percent), flu (11 percent), stress (10 percent), migraine (8 percent) and caffeine withdrawal (4 percent).

The survey confirmed what many physicians have already found -- some underlying health conditions and temporary ailments can stimulate a flushing response and trigger rosacea flare-ups. In general, anything that causes flushing of the face can lead to a flare-up, and 42 percent of the survey respondents cited this as a rosacea tripwire.

Medical therapy for other health conditions also may bring about a flare-up in some individuals, the survey showed. Ten percent of the survey respondents said they experienced flare-ups in reaction to topical steroids. Smaller numbers reported rosacea flare-ups associated with ACE inhibitors (5 percent), cholesterol-lowering agents (4 percent) and vasodilators (3 percent).

Nine percent of the respondents said their health care providers had changed their therapy to avoid medications that seemed to aggravate their rosacea. Fortunately, nearly 72 percent of the respondents said their rosacea improved after other medical conditions were under control.