Allergy season is upon us; with it comes plenty of sneezing, coughing, hives and red, watery eyes for the 20% of U.S. people with allergic rhinitis.[1] If those allergy symptoms sound familiar to you, but you aren’t sure what’s causing them, it might be time to see an allergist.
Let’s look at two types of allergy tests we use and how testing can help you manage your symptoms moving forward.
Two Types of Allergy Tests
Blood testing and skin testing are the two most common forms of allergy testing:
- Blood testing. A blood test measures the number of antibodies, called immunoglobulin E (IgE), you have in your system. We’ll either do a general test, which looks for elevated IgE levels in a blood sample, or a specific test, which measures the number of antibodies in your system in response to a specific allergen. During the test, a phlebotomist will take a blood sample and send it to the lab for testing.
- Skin testing. A skin prick test measures visual reactions to specific allergens. During the test, we’ll either inject a small amount of a suspected allergen just under the skin or place a drop of the allergen on the skin and scratch the surface to introduce it into your system. If your skin develops a red and itchy rash within the next 15 to 30 minutes, we’ll confirm an allergy.
In some cases, we’ll use a blood test to confirm the results of skin testing. If your allergy is severe, we may recommend blood testing to limit the risk of a severe reaction.
How Allergy Testing Helps
There are many types of allergens, including but not limited to:
- Tree, grass and weed pollen
- Dust mites
- Cockroach droppings
- Mold
- Pet dander
- Stinging insect venom
- Certain foods
- Certain medications
If you know what’s causing your allergy symptoms, you can take steps to avoid the substance. For example, if you’re allergic to pollen, you can avoid the Williamsburg Botanical Garden on high pollen days. If testing reveals that you don’t have pollen sensitivities, you’ll know that you can feel free to enjoy all the pretty flowers and trees without worrying about symptoms.
If you’re ready to find out what’s behind your allergy symptoms, contact Hampton Roads ENT ~ Allergy today to schedule a test with one of our specialists.
[1] Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Allergic rhinitis (hay fever). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8622-allergic-rhinitis-hay-fever