Methods of Allergy Testing your Doctor Might Recommend

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

Different types of allergy testing can be used to identify various allergens. Some tests work better than others, depending on the allergy suspected. Therefore; be familiar with the various allergy tests available prior to making an appointment with your doctor. The tests available may fall 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.

The other benefit of this particular type of test is that various other allergens can also be tested at the same time. This, therefore, makes this method most useful when the allergen is not know, when the allergens are airborne, and when the allergies are from foods and insect bites.

Elimination Diets

The elimination diet is an allergy test done when the allergy suspected is a food allergy. In this testing, a variety of foods that are potential allergens are eliminated from the diet for a period of several weeks. Each food is then gradually added back to determine which selection will cause the allergic reactions.

Each food is then introduced gradually back into the person's diet, carefully monitoring to determine which selections cause the allergy symptoms to return. This method works best on mild allergic reactions, but can also be potentially dangerous for severe allergies. If a severe allergy is suspected, a third method of allergy testing is preferred to ensure a life-threatening substance not enter into the system in any way.

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.

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