If you are showing allergy signs, it’s recommended you visit an allergy doctor to review your symptoms and understand your medical history.

The doctor will perform a physical examination and based on the findings of the examinations and your medical history, the doctor will determine whether you need further testing. There are many types of allergy testing the doctor can recommend. The most common ones being:

Skin testing

The doctor will use skin testing to evaluate suspected seasonal or environmental allergies, stinging insect allergy, food allergy, and drug allergies. During testing, the doctor places the suspected allergen on the skin then reads the results after 15 minutes.

There are two main types of skin testing the doctor can recommend: prick and intradermal skin testing. In prick skin testing, the doctor places individual solutions containing the suspected allergens on the skin using a prick device.

In intradermal testing, the doctor places individual solutions containing the suspected allergens under the skin surface using a small needle. The doctor will recommend this test if they have done the prick test and turned negative but you have a history of allergies.

It’s up to the doctor to determine the type of skin test that is right for you, depending on your condition.

To prepare for testing, avoid all antihistamines and sleep aids containing antihistamines for at least 5 days prior to your appointment. The reason for this is because antihistamines are known to block positive skin test results making the results unreliable.

If you are positive to the administered allergen, your skin will appear raised and itchy, similar to a mosquito bite.

Blood test

Sometimes, in addition to the skin test you might require a blood test for the doctor to make a conclusion on the type of allergy you are suffering from. The doctor might also recommend the test in situations where allergy skin testing is inappropriate.

These might be situations where you can’t stop taking antihistamines or other medications that would interfere with allergy skin test results.

Your allergist will determine whether you need a blood test and after getting the results, they will interpret them depending on your medical history and other findings that will come up during evaluation.

Other than allergies, you can use blood tests to investigate other disorders such as angioedema, primary immunodeficiency disorders, and chronic urticaria (hives).

Patch testing

You use patch testing to screen substances when allergic symptoms develop within a few days after exposure to the allergen such as with the case of contact dermatitis.

During the test, the doctor applies patches containing different allergens to your back and leaves them there for 48 hours. The doctor then removes the patches and examines the skin for signs of a hypersensitive reaction. It’s also common for doctors to undertake a second assessment after 96 hours and after 7-10 days.

For best results, avoid water and moisture in areas the doctors are going to place the patches unless the doctor is going to place a special moisture-proof cover over the patches.

Challenge test

Doctors use challenge tests to identify triggers when a person’s allergy doesn’t produce a strong skin reaction. The doctor exposes the body to the allergen in its natural form, via a typical route, then monitors it for signs of reaction.

For example, if you are showing signs of allergy such as having hay fever, the doctor will apply a specific type of pollen to the nasal mucosa while monitoring you for sneezing, stuffy nose, and watery eyes.

If the doctor suspects you are allergic to a certain food, they will feed you the suspected trigger and monitor how your body reacts.

For the challenge test to be a success, you should not be showing any symptoms prior to the test. You should undertake the test in a reputable allergy clinic Germanton MD for the doctor to carefully supervise the process and ensure you don’t develop deadly allergic reactions.

Lung function test

This is used to screen for asthma. During the test, the doctor will ask you to breathe deeply then forcefully exhale quickly while blowing into a device that measures your lung function. For consistent results, you should repeat this process at least 3 times.