How Healthy Are You?

Allergy Testing Methods

Do you have an allergy, but are unsure of the specific allergen causing your allergic reaction? Your doctor may be healthy to recommend a variety of allergy testing to diagnose your condition.

Different types of allergy testing can be used to refer various allergens. Some tests work better than others, depending on the allergy suspected. Therefore; be familiar with the various allergy tests acquirable prior to making an appointment with your doctor. The tests acquirable may start into several categories including: Scratch tests, elimination tests, and blood tests.

Scratch Tests

Scratch tests are the most common type of allergy test that are done. This test consists of placing a small amount of the suspected allergen onto the surface of the skin, then scratching or pricking the area to allow penetration of the substance.

Swelling, redness, or itching are signs that an allergic reaction has occurred. A result can often be detected in as little as twenty minutes using this type of testing. The other advantage to this kind of test is that many different allergens can be tested together. This makes this method especially useful if the allergen is unknown, airborne, or a food allergy.

Elimination Diets

Another type of allergy testing that is often performed is the elimination diet which is used if a food allergy is suspected. A variety of foods are eliminated from the diet for several weeks that are considered potential allergens.

This method of testing can be potentially chanceful for the patient who has severe allergies. If a severe allergy is suspected, a third method of allergy testing is preferred to ensure the country of the patient.

Blood Tests

A RAST, or radioallergosorbent test, is the final type of allergy testing that is commonly performed. This is achieved by using blood drawn from the patient. It is then examined for the presence of immunoglobulin (Ige) antibodies. This indicates whether the immune system is producing an allergic reaction to the body. These Ige’s tell your doctor if you are allergic to certain allergens, although this testing does not tend to be as accurate and precise as other methods used.