The largest organ of your body is the skin. Unfortunately, you ignore it the most. In reality, it needs proper care. Since your skin gets exposed to a variety of materials every day, you can experience some allergies every now and then. Besides, some of you may be more prone to allergies. To figure out if your allergies are harmful, you should undergo allergy testing.
Through this skin allergy testing, the healthcare professional will collect a blood sample to check the condition of your skin and allergies. To know more about this allergy testing, go through the blog till the end.
What is an allergy test?
As you can understand from its name, the examination that a healthcare professional performs on your body to figure out if an allergic reaction is present in your body is known as an allergy test. To perform this examination, the doctor can collect either of the two samples:
- Blood sample
- Skin tissues
Your body naturally develops immunity as a defense mechanism for all the external factors that it comes in contact with. When your immunity system reacts more to an environment or external stimuli, it develops allergies. Sometimes, due to a compromised immunity system, you can have allergies as well.
Most of you may have allergies due to pollen grains. Even though these are harmless components, your immunity system overreacts to them and causes allergies. Due to the presence of these allergies, you may get a variety of symptoms like:
- Runny nose
- Extreme sneezing
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Itchy and watery eyes
Different types of allergens
Generally, three different types of allergens cause various allergic reactions. Let’s take a look at each of the allergens individually:
- Inhaled allergens
When you inhale something harmful to your body and the external agents get in your lungs, throat, or nostril membranes, it is known as inhaled allergens. Of all the allergens, pollen is a common inhaled one.
- Ingested allergens
Ingested allergens are those that you eat. Precisely, your body is not ready to make peace with these ingested allergens. As a result, you develop allergic reactions to it. Some of the common ingested allergens include peanuts, eggs, seafood, soy, etc.
- Contact allergens
As you can understand from its name, when you come in contact with these allergens, you develop allergies. When you form allergies due to contact with allergens, you develop itchy rashes on your body. However, these symptoms will differ from person to person.
Need for an allergy test
Almost half of the US population is suffering from allergies. So, if you have developed one lately, know that you are not alone. The World Allergy Organization has found in a scientific study that more than 2.5 million people die due to asthma in the whole world every year.
This is where skin allergy testing comes to aid. It helps you in two distinct ways:
- First, you become aware of the presence of an allergen in your body.
- Second, it helps you to take the right medical precautions at the perfect time.
Through allergy testing, the medical healthcare professional determines the kind of molds and pollens or allergens that you are allergic to. If needed, the doctor prescribes some medications to subside the allergic reactions and give you comfort. The best way to stay away from allergies is to avoid components or substances that trigger allergies.
How can you prepare for an allergy test?
Once you reach out to a doctor, he will ask you about your medical history, family history, and lifestyle. All this information will help the doctor understand the actual cause of the allergy. If you are taking some of these medications, the doctor will ask you to stop them for the accuracy of the allergy test:
- Prescription medication and over-the-counter antihistamines
- Some heartburn medicines
- Systematic corticosteroids
- Benzodiazepines
- Tricycle antidepressants
How do doctors perform the allergy test?
As mentioned earlier, the doctors perform the allergy test in either of the two ways:
- Skin test
Skin tests can be divided into scratch, patch, and intradermal tests. First, your doctor will perform a scratch test. Here, the doctor first places an allergen in a liquid. Then, the liquid is made to sit on a particular section of your skin. Here, the doctor punctures the allergens slightly into your skin. After a while, if the doctor notices any unwanted reaction on your skin due to the presence of the foreign element, it means your allergies can wreak havoc on your body.
In the intradermal skin test, the doctor introduces a tiny amount of allergen into the dermal layer of your skin. Like the previous one, here too, the doctor pays attention to the reaction.
Finally, in the patch test, the doctor sticks patches of adhesives filled with allergens on your skin. Generally, a doctor conducts a patch skin test if your allergy has developed due to contact dermatitis. To figure out if there is any allergic reaction, you have to keep the patch intact for at least 72 hours.
- Blood test
If you fail to perform a skin test, the doctor then shifts to a blood test. Like any other form of blood test, here the healthcare professional collects a tiny amount of blood as a sample and tests it in the laboratory. The purpose of this blood test is to check if your body contains allergens.
Can you develop any risks from an allergy test?
Undergoing an allergy test can produce some itching, swelling, and redness on the skin. Sometimes, you may even develop some reddish bumps on the skin. However, all these symptoms get cleared after a few days. To reduce the symptoms and discomfort, you can use some mild topical steroids. Make sure to consult with your doctor before using any medication.
Conclusion
Therefore, the allergy test can keep you away from developing deadly skin conditions. After the test results are out, the doctor can devise a medical treatment plan accordingly. To perform the allergy test and get reputed results, contact our Harley Street Medical Center now.
