Allergy skin testing is used to determine the cause of a particular allergy, such as to certain foods, drugs or environmental factors. Sometimes it may be hard to determine whether or not you are allergic to any of these factors, which is where allergy skin testing comes into play.
Allergens
You may be thinking what particular allergens are having an effect on your health. Possible allergens include:
- Certain foods: Cow’s milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, shellfish
- Environmental factors: Dust mites, animals, pollen, weeds, and molds
- Drugs: Penicillin
Keep A Record
It is important to record the history of any reactions and symptoms you have experienced in order for allergy specialists to provide a more accurate diagnosis and help you the best they can. Skin testing works best when a person keeps track of any suspicious allergens that are affecting their health, as it is essential for finding the root cause of the problem. Record specific factors you think could be affecting you and any recent changes to your everyday life, such as using a new shampoo or something specific you ate. No detail is ever too small!
What to Expect from Allergy Testing
People always like to know what to prepare for before walking into a doctor’s office. Allergy skin testing, also called “scratch testing”, is a process that involves placing a drop of solution on the skin that contains a possible allergen. A series of scratches or needle pricks will be given in order for the solution to effectively enter your skin. The diagnosis will be a positive reaction if the skin develops a red, raised and itchy area on your skin. This specific sign shows you are allergic or sensitive to that particular allergen.
Be Proactive
The next step involves finding the best treatment for you. The board certified allergy specialists at Advanced Allergy and Asthma are here to give you the strong medical care you need. We have offices in the Fairfield County, CT towns of Danbury, New Milford, Ridgefield and Norwalk. Contact us at 203-830-4700. It’s time to say goodbye to those mysterious reactions.