{"id":576,"date":"2018-11-21T10:38:55","date_gmt":"2018-11-21T18:38:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fueldev.site\/~oregonen\/allergy\/allergy-testing\/"},"modified":"2018-11-27T15:15:01","modified_gmt":"2018-11-27T23:15:01","slug":"allergy-testing","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oregonent.com\/allergy-sinus\/allergy\/allergy-testing\/","title":{"rendered":"Allergy Testing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The only way to treat your allergy symptoms is to determine\nexactly what is causing them. This is done through a series of allergy tests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A skin prick test is the most common form of allergy testing. This\ntest involves placing a small drop of an allergen extract on your skin. A\nneedle is then used to prick the skin underneath the drop; this allows for a\nsmall amount of solution to enter just below the surface of the skin. After 15\nminutes, any swelling or redness is measured and, depending on the size, is\nconsidered a positive reaction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
An intradermal skin test is completed next. An intradermal wheal,\nor bleb, is injected directly under the top layer of skin. After 15 minutes any\nreactions are measured and classified as either positive or negative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A blood test is used to measure how much of an allergen-specific\nantibody, called immunoglobulin E (IgE), is in your blood. The more allergen\nspecific IgE in your blood, the more likely you are to be allergic. Blood tests\nare typically used to confirm the results of a skin test; they may also be used\nin lieu of skin tests if a serious allergy makes skin testing unsafe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food allergies may be tested with a simple blood draw. An elimination diet involves removing the food in question from your diet for two to four weeks. If your symptoms resolve, there is a good chance the food was causing the reaction. Your doctor may return the problematic food to your diet, just to make sure the symptoms return.<\/p>\n\n\n