Allergy Test

If you think you have an allergy, an allergy test will determines what you are allergic to. There are many different kinds of allergy test. They include:

Skin Tests - There are several types of test available. They are as follows:

• Skin prick or scratch test - The procedure involves putting small amounts of several different allergens on a small area of the skin, often in a grid pattern on the back. It is often that the skin is scratched a little to increase exposure to each of the allergens. Around 20 to 30 minutes if you have an allergic reaction to the allergen you may experience redness, hives or swelling. Observation by the physician of at least 30 minutes is required just in case you develop any breathing problems or anaphylaxis, which may require immediate treatment. If there is a large amount of allergen to be tested, the test may be repeated the following day.
• Skin patch test – The test to conducted by apply allergens to the skin in a skin patch test, but unlike the skin prick test, the patch test is for delayed type of allergic reaction over a period of two to seven days after exposure. This test is usually for diagnosing metal of chemical allergies.
• Intradermal test – This type of skin test is the most accurate skin test available. The test involves by injecting a small amount of the allergen into the skin rather than scratched on the surface. This test is most effective for diagnosing drug and insect allergies. This test also requires a least 30 minutes observation by a physician as it may cause potential reaction.

Radioallergosorbent test, or RAST – The test require a blood test. The blood sample is sent to the laboratory for testing to see whether if your antibodies (immunoglobulin E) recognize any large set of potential allergens. If a high level of antibodies that recognizes a certain allergen, it is most likely that you are not allergic to that allergen. The risk of potential reaction is very low and the result are less accurate.

Food Elimination Trial – A simple skin prick test can detected any food allergies that you may have, but the result is not always that dependable. This is the reason why a food elimination trial is recommended. How it works is, the suspected food that is assume causing the allergy is eliminated from your diet over a period of time to see if the symptoms of the allergy is resolve. Then after a period of time the suspected food eliminated is introduced back into you diets to it see if you symptoms of allergy returns. This way you allergy can be confirmed.

Test for recurrent hives – Many people who suffer for recurrent hives (urticaria) have no well defined causes. This may include liver or thyroid disease, vascular problems, lupus and infection. A simple blood test can rule out most of these.

Combination of all the above test

The results of the abovementioned test are not accurate all the time. Occasionally the tests will produce a false-positive (results suggests you have an allergy even though you do not have or a false-negative results suggests you do not have an allergy even though you do) results. All allergy test not lonely can provide some sort of guidance about what you should or want to avoid in an effect to prevent an allergy from happening, but it also serves a a basis for allergy shots treatments for some suffer.

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