If you have ever struggled with seasonal allergies or an allergic reaction, you know that there can be a huge variety of symptoms. Because allergies are so vastly different from one another, it can be difficult to pinpoint an individual trigger. To more easily diagnose these allergens, we have developed different types of allergy testing techniques. Allergy tests are quick and not very painful at all.
What Are the Different Types of Allergy Tests?
Adults and kids alike need allergy tests to find out what ingredient or pollen is causing an allergic reaction. After finding out what you might be allergic to, it will be so much easier to prescribe the proper treatment. If you are wondering, “What are the different types of allergy tests?”, then please keep reading.
About Allergy Tests
Most standard allergy tests use the skin to test for a variety of common allergies. This might include the skin-prick method, which is explained in further detail below, or a scratching method on the surface of your skin. By injecting incredibly small amounts of common allergens into your skin, we can see how your skin will react. This will give us more clues about what you may or may not be allergic to.
Dr. Shukla can use the information gained from the allergy test to diagnose your allergy. Further testing may be required, but initial skin-based allergy tests can certainly point us in the right direction. Depending on your allergy, you may need treatment such as a daily inhaler or an EpiPen for emergencies.
Types of Allergy Testing
You might be inhaling or consuming allergies that are causing severe allergic reactions. It can be frustrating to deal with symptoms from an unknown source. Additionally, you may be dealing with symptoms that look like they stem from an allergic reaction but may be a different respiratory condition. The best way to test all common allergens across the board is with a skin-prick test.
Skin Testing
The skin-prick test is a widely used testing method by allergy specialists like Dr. Mayank Shukla. It involves the use of 70 or more tiny pronged devices. These circular discs are attached to different areas of your skin including your back, arms, or legs. Each prong contains a very tiny amount of an allergen, which will then be pricked into your skin.
Skin testing is not painful. In fact, most patients do not feel anything more than a few strong tickles and pokes. Our skin testing methods do not break the skin, so you do not need to worry about scarring or bleeding. After about 20 or so minutes, the doctor will check to see if your skin has reacted adversely to any of the individual allergens.
Blood Testing
Further testing may be required if the results of your skin test are inconclusive. While rare, it may be the case that your allergic reactions look similar to another condition altogether. When this occurs, we need to do some more tests to make sure we can really narrow down the right result. Blood testing will analyze your allergic reactions on a more molecular level to determine the best course of action.
Comprehensive Allergy Testing Is Available Now!
If you or your child have been displaying symptoms of an allergic reaction but have no idea what is causing them, you need to sign up for an allergy test right away. Dr. Mayank Shukla and his team of experts offer skin-prick testing with over 70 types of common allergens. This can help to rule out (or rule in) any particular allergies. Get in touch with your local allergy specialist in New York to set up a personal skin-prick test so you can finally figure out what is causing you to feel so sick.
