When you experience issues with your digestive system after eating or if you experience issues with your skin or breathing after eating certain foods, you might want to consider food allergy testing. This is a process to determine if you are allergic to various foods and which foods those would be, such as peanuts or seafood. Keep track of what you eat before you have a reaction so your doctor has a better direction as to what to test for first.
Before you undergo testing for a food allergy, you need to look at your overall health as there could be issues that you have that present with the same symptoms as those of an allergic reaction. One way to determine if you have a food allergy is with a skin test. The test is done at the allergy doctor’s office where drops of various serums are placed on your skin. The area used us typically your forearm or your back. The serums are introduced into your skin to determine if a reaction will occur. If there is a reaction, then you know that you could be allergic to that food.
You want to consider food allergy testing after you’ve tried other treatments for the issues that you’re experiencing with few results seen. You might not always have a skin reaction to the foods that you eat. You could experience issues with nausea or vomiting as well as diarrhea if you’re allergic to certain types of foods. Sometimes, you might seek assistance from another doctor because you think that what you’re experiencing is an illness or even food poisoning. When you’re tested for food allergies, you can get a better idea as to what types of foods to avoid so that you don’t experience nausea and other gastric issues in the future.
If a skin prick test isn’t definitive, then a blood test can be performed to reach further conclusions. The test will look for food allergens that are in your blood. You can have a blood test done if a skin test can’t be done because of issues with your skin. Once you’ve determined what you’re allergic to, you should avoid those foods as much as you can to prevent reactions from occurring as you could experience a severe reaction at any time.
To have food allergy testing if you believe there are foods that have been causing issues, feel free to reach out and make an appointment with Asthma Allergy Center. At our convenient locations in Tigard, Newberg, Beaverton, and McMinnville, our caring and dedicated team of professionals will be pleased to answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation – we look forward to speaking with you!