Some people benefit from allergy testing but, for others, it can be a waste of money. Allergy Testing in Evansville IN makes sense if a person is exhibiting allergy symptoms including itchy skin, rashes, trouble breathing, swelling, headaches, or dizziness. Before going for testing, a medical exam should point to a potential diagnosis of allergies.
Reasons Not to Get Tested
Only allergy tests performed in a doctor’s office are reliable-;not the tests you can buy for home use. A false positive from unreliable Allergy Testing in Evansville IN could lead to a poor diet from restricting foods unnecessarily or giving up a beloved pet when you don’t need to. Getting tested by a doctor is expensive, costing anywhere from $60 to $1,000 depending on the tests conducted, and health insurance doesn’t always fully cover these tests. A medical exam will narrow down potential allergens and determine which tests are needed.
What’s Involved
Allergy testing is done through a blood test or skin testing. Skin testing is more common, but doctors do blood testing when a person has a severe skin condition, is taking a medication that would interfere with a skin test, or may have a severe reaction to the allergen being tested for. Blood testing is also sometimes used in babies to minimize the number of times they need to be poked with a needle. Skin tests provide faster results and are cheaper than blood tests. Small drops of the allergen or allergens being tested are pricked on the skin’s surface or injected into the skin. If redness or swelling appear, an allergy may be present. Results typically occur within 20 minutes but can take up to 48 hours.
Other Potential Considerations
Sometimes, an allergy test doesn’t give clear results. Keeping a food diary can help narrow down potential food allergens, then following an elimination diet and gradually adding these foods back to the diet can clarify if food is an allergen. Another option is an oral food challenge where a doctor has the patient eat small amounts of food and increases the amount each time to see if a reaction occurs.
Find more information by clicking here. Dr. Smith is a board-certified allergy specialist who can answer any allergy questions you have.