Diagnosis of Allergy
Treatment Diagnosis of Allergy – ETHOS HEALTH CARE
If you experience symptoms of an allergic reaction, your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you about your health history, signs and symptoms.
If you have a food allergy, your doctor may:
- Ask you to keep a detailed diary of the foods you eat
- Have you eliminate a food from your diet (elimination diet) — and then have you eat the food in question again to see if it causes a reaction
Your doctor may want to order tests to determine what is causing your allergy. The most common types of allergy tests are:
Skin test – Your skin is pricked and exposed to small amounts of the proteins found in potential allergens. If you’re allergic, you’ll likely develop a raised bump (hive) at the test location on your skin. A skin test is most valuable for diagnosing:
- Food allergy
- Mold, pollen, and animal dander allergy
- Penicillin allergy
- Venom allergy (such as mosquito bites or bee stings)
- Allergic contact dermatitis (a rash you get from touching a substance)
Blood test – A blood test that’s sometimes called the radioallergosorbent test (RAST) can measure your immune system’s response to a specific allergen by measuring the amount of allergy-causing antibodies in your bloodstream, known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. A blood sample is sent to a medical laboratory, where it can be tested for evidence of sensitivity to possible allergens.
