Allergy test

Allergy test
Allergy testing is done to determine what particular pollens , molds or other allergens a person is allergic to, you may need medication to treat your allergic or, you may want to simply attempt to avoid your allergy triggers.

Type of Allergens:
There are three types of allergens (substances that can cause an allergic reaction):
1- Inhaled:
These allergens affect the body when they come contact with the lungs or membranes of nostrils.
2- Ingested:
These allergens are present in certain foods such as peanuts, gluten materials or others.
3- Contact:
These allergens must come in contact with your skin to produce a reaction , such as the rush and itching caused by poison ivy.
Allergy tests involve exposing a person to a very small amount of a particular.

How Allergy testing is performed:
An allergy test may involve either a skin test or a blood test, in the case of suspected food allergies, you may be put on an elimination diet.

Skin test:
Skin testing is usually done at a doctor s office, and a doctor interprets the results. Typically, this test takes about 20-40 minutes. Some tests detect immediate allergic reaction, which develop within minutes of exposure to an allergen. Other test detects delayed allergic reaction, which develop over a period of several days.
Skin test, also called a puncture or scratch test for injection or patch test for contact materials.

? Puncture test:
Allergy skin tests aren’t painful. This type of testing uses needls (lancets) that barely penetrate the skins surface. You won t bleed or feel more than mild.
After cleaning the test site with alcohol, the nurse draws small marks on your skin, he or she then uses a lancet to prick the extracts into skins surface . a new lancet is used for each allergen.
About 15 minutes after the skin pricks, the nurse observes your skin for signs of allergic reactions. If you are allergic to one of the substances tested, youll develop a raised, red, itchy bump. A nurse will then measure the bumps size.

? Patch test:
Is generally done to see whether a particular substance is causing allergic skin irritation (contact determatitis). Patch tests can detect delayed allergic reactions, which can take several days to develop. Patch tests don’t use needles. Instead allergens are applied to patch, which are then placed on your skin.