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Convenient, Efficient Allergy and Asthma care for adults & children... |
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| Allergy Testing Allergy testing is performed to help determine the presence and degree of allergy to specific substances. Such testing should be performed by a trained allergy specialist, and should be based on a detailed history, including environmental exposures, and physical examination. "Screening" allergy testing performed in a blind or shotgun fashion does little to confirm a diagnosis and adds much to the cost of care unnecessarily. Other than for evaluation of contact dermatitis of the skin, allergy testing to detect inhalant and food allergy can be performed by two methods: skin testing and blood (RAST) testing. Both detect the presence of allergy antibodies (IgE) made against a specific allergen. Although the presence of a positive test does not, in itself, mean significant allergy, when correlated to the patient’s history, it can confirm such a sensitivity . SKIN TESTING Skin testing is performed by two methods. Positive reactions look and feel like red mosquito bites, and appear within 15 minutes.
Scratch (puncture) testing is performed by puncturing the skin superficially with an allergen. This procedure will detect those allergens to which the patient is most sensitive. It is not painful, and feels like nothing more than being poked with a pencil.
Intradermal testing is performed by injecting a minute amount of allergen just into the surface of the skin. This procedure will detect those inhalant allergens to which the patient is moderately sensitive. It is mildly uncomfortable, similar to the pinch felt with a mosquito bite. Skin testing can be performed at any age. The specific tests will be chosen by your physician in consultation with the patient or parent. Certain medications can interfere with skin testing. Our staff will discuss those medications and other issues pertaining to your particular situation at the time of scheduling.
The advantages of skin testing are: · they are available to a wide variety of allergens · the results are obtained immediately · they are more sensitive than blood (RAST) tests · they are less costly than blood (RAST) tests · they have a very low chance of adverse reaction to the testing
BLOOD (RAST) TESTING RAST testing is a method to detect allergy antibodies (IgE) in the blood just as skin testing detects these antibodies in the skin. It is not as sensitive as skin testing, and therefore false negative results are more common. It is the testing method of choice in patients who have severe skin disease preventing skin testing who cannot stop medications which interfere with skin testing and who, by history, may be exquisitely sensitive to a suspected allergen.
The advantages of blood testing are: · they can be performed even on exquisitely sensitive patients without any risk of adverse reaction · they can be performed on unusual allergens, including foods, and inhalants from far away geographical regions |
