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Allergy Testing your Doctor Recommends

by: DorothyMedlum
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If you think that you may be having an allergy, but you are uncertain of the specific allergen causing this allergic reaction, your doctor may suggests a variety of allergy testing to diagnose your condition. The different types of allergy tests identify a variety of allergens.

Since many tests work better than others depending on your specific allergy, it is recommended that you make sure you are familiar with the various kinds of allergy tests prior to making an appointment with your doctor. The basic tests fall into three areas: Scratch tests, elimination tests, and blood tests.

Scratch Tests

The most common type of allergy testing that is done is the scratch tests. This test involves putting a small amount of the suspected allergen onto the surface of the skin, then scratch or prick the area to allow some of the substance to enter the surface.

Then, the site is observed to watch for an allergic reaction such as swelling, redness, or itching. A result is often seen in as little as twenty minutes with this particular method of allergy testing. The advantage to this is that many other types of allergens can be tested at the same time. Therefore, this makes this method most useful when the allergen is not known, is an airborne allergen, or an allergy from foods and insect bites.

Elimination Diets

If a food allergy is suspected, the elimination diet may be performed. A variety of foods that are potential allergens are eliminated form the diet for several weeks. Each food is then gradually added back to the person's diet, with attention being mad to see which of the selections of food is causing the allergy symptoms to return.

This method of testing can be potentially dangerous for the patient who has severe allergies. If a severe allergy is suspected, a third method of allergy testing is preferred to ensure the safety of the patient.

Blood Tests

The third type of allergy testing is the blood test, commonly called the RAST test. This is done by using blood drawn from the patient in the laboratory. The blood is then examined to determine the presence of immunoglobulin antibodies, hence; these will indicate whether the immune system is producing an allergic reaction in the body. Levels of Ige's that are elevated can tell your doctor what you are allergic to and make certain the types of allergens affecting your system. Should your doctor decide these tests will benefit you, he will check out your medical history and thus ensure the results are accurate.

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Thanks for stopping by and learning about allergies. Trustworthy knowledge and reliable information on this subject is often not easy to find, so hopefully you got exactly what you were looking for in this article. Of course if you would like to digest more information about baby powder allergies then surf to our website, bestallergyinfo.com.  

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