Your skin will be examined after it has been subjected to allergens, which are compounds that are thought to cause allergies, during allergy skin tests. These allergy testing duluth tests are done so that an allergic reaction can be noticed.
In conjunction with your medical history, allergy testing can help determine whether a specific substance you come into contact with, breathe in, or eat triggers your symptoms.
Why is it carried out?
Your doctor may use the results of allergy tests to design an allergy treatment plan for you. This plan may involve avoiding allergens, taking medicine, or getting allergy shots (also known as immunotherapy).
The following are some of the allergic conditions that can be diagnosed with the use of allergy skin tests:
- The medical term for hay fever is allergic rhinitis.
- Asthma caused by allergies
- Eczema, also known as dermatitis
- Intolerance to food
- Sensitivity to penicillin
- sensitivity to bee venom
Skin tests are considered completely risk-free for adults, children of all ages, and even infants. However, undergoing a skin test might not be the best idea in particular scenarios. If any of the following apply to you, talk to your doctor before getting a skin test:
- Experience with severe allergy reactions in the past. It is possible that you are so hypersensitive to certain compounds that even the minute amounts used in skin testing could set off a potentially fatal allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.
- Take any drugs that could potentially skew the findings of the test. Antihistamines, a good number of antidepressants, and several heartburn drugs are included in this category. The decision to temporarily stop taking these drugs in order to be ready for a skin test may be overruled by your physician if he or she determines that you would benefit more from continuing to take them as directed.
- Suffer from particular skin issues. If you have severe eczema or psoriasis that affects extensive sections of skin on your arms and back, which are the typical testing sites, there may not be enough skin that is unaffected and clear to do an accurate test. Other disorders of the skin, such as dermatographism, are also capable of producing inaccurate test findings.
Blood tests, also known as in vitro immunoglobulin E antibody testing, can be helpful for people who either should not get skin tests or are unable to get them. In cases of penicillin allergy, blood testing is not performed.
In most cases, allergy skin tests accurately diagnose allergies to airborne particles, including pollen, pet dander, and dust mites. There is some evidence that skin testing can help diagnose food allergies. However, given the complexity of food allergies, it’s possible that you’ll need further testing or treatments.
