How to test for allergies

How do you find out if you are allergic to something? Most people come to recognize their allergy triggers of their own in time. They try to prevent any contact with these substances after they're realized they are allergic to them. While this works out fine, for the most part, it is more difficult to diagnose certain kinds of allergy. An allergy specialist can step in and run allergy tests to help you identify what's triggering your allergy in such cases. Allergy tests are not enough to diagnose allergy but are a good first step. A person's medical history and a thorough doctor's examination is also required to properly detect an allergy in a person.

Don’t trust DIY allergy testing kits

The market is flush with DIY allergy testing kits which claim to help you identify your allergies. However, these are most often not very accurate. They can test "false positive," indicating you have an allergy where you actually have none. These allergy testing home kits are usually not reliable and shouldn't be used as the only yardstick to test for allergies.

Incorrect allergy test results can lead to needless anxiety and unnecessary changes to your lifestyle, none of which is welcome.

Types of allergy testing

A doctor carries out a skin test/blood test to detect if you have an allergy. If they suspect you have a food allergy, they may ask you to go on a food elimination diet. Let’s look at these three procedures in detail below –

• Skin Tests – Skin tests are typically of three kinds – patch tests, intradermal and scratch. It is used to identify potential allergens such as airborne, contact or even food-related allergens. Scratch tests are the initial step in skin testing. If the findings are inadequate, an intradermal test is ordered. The patch test which includes using patches with suspected allergens on your skin is another skin testing method used to detect causes of allergies.
• Blood Test – If the doctor reviews your skin and finds it too sensitive for skin testing, he/she may recommend a blood test instead. The blood so derived is tested in a laboratory to check for antibodies which fight off specific allergens. The test is referred to as ImmunoCAP test and is used to successfully detect IgE antibodies to counter major allergens.
• Elimination Diet – An elimination diet can help your doctor determine which food substances are causing your allergic reaction. In this method of allergy testing, certain food items are first removed from your diet and then added back later. The way you react to these dietary changes help the doctor detect which food item is causing your allergic reaction.

Conclusion

Allergy tests can have mild side-effects which can be treated with mild topical steroid creams. These side effects like swelling, itching, and redness usually last for a few days.

While there are numerous free tests that you can use to check for allergies, it is best to get yourself tested for allergies by a medical professional for authentic results.

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