Learn What You Can About Different Types of Allergy Testing

by | Dec 28, 2012 | Health and Fitness

For every two people in a room there is likely one of them that has suffered from allergy symptoms since the time of young childhood. There are not many people in this world today that do not suffer from some form of allergy whether it’s due to food, pets, or seasonal allergens all around us. Because there are so many different allergens and different reasons for which a person can develop allergies, it is very hard for people to self diagnose and medicate properly for relief. If you have found that either you or someone in your household is suffering from allergic reactions to allergens, you need to consult with a professional right away to determine if you need an allergy testing in Louisville, KY.

You need to schedule an appointment so that the trained specialist is able to diagnose, treat, and/or manage your allergies to help you feel more comfortable throughout the year. However, in order to determine which allergens are affecting you, you should be forewarned that you will have to go through a series of testing to determine the culprit(s). Most of the tests are conducted either on the skin, or using blood serum. Below is a bit more information about each of these types of testing

1. Skin Testing – one of the most common types of testing done for allergies is through the skin. By using a series of qualifiers, the specialist is able to immediately determine which allergens are causing the problems. There is one version of the test in which a small patch is placed on the skin that has been moistened with the allergen. The patch is taped on the skin for a few days for observation. As the patient, if you do suffer from complications you will know as it will result in a form of a rash. While the skin patch can provide us with reliable results, there are other methods that might give faster results. These types of skin tests would include scratching or pricking the skin allowing the allergen to get in for a much faster result.

2. Elimination Testing – For reasons that are unknown at this point to medical professionals, there are lots more people today that are also having allergic reactions to their foods. It is being found more and more in young children with a particular reaction to things such as products that have peanuts in them. Unfortunately, most of these food allergies can have deadly consequences. No matter how old you are when you discover a food allergy, you need to have allergy testing in Louisville, KY area to get it resolved. The elimination method is simply removing foods from your diet and then reintroducing them one at a time. If you have an allergic reaction then they know which food(s) is the culprit.

3. RAST Testing – Last but not least, when you are suffering from severe allergy symptoms it may be best for your allergist to use the RAST blood testing. With this type of screening, your blood will be drawn for observation within the laboratory. They are able to look for levels of antibodies that you have been exposed to. This is usually a last resort as this test can really only detect a few allergies.

Instead of being miserable all of the time, you might want to speak with a specialist about Allergy Testing Louisville KY. You may find relief by working with a professional. Visit website for more.

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