How are Food Allergies Identified?
One of the best ways to pinpoint a food allergy is getting tested. If you’re wondering “where do I go for food allergy testing near me?”, our office can assist. In addition to testing for allergies, your allergist may ask some questions to better understand your medical history, the likelihood of an allergy to certain foods, and the severity of your reactions. In addition to testing, an allergist may ask what your symptoms are, when the symptoms started to appear, how much food you ate when the symptoms developed, the type of food or foods you consumed when the reaction started, how often the reaction occurs, and how long it lasts. An allergist may also ask about a family history of allergies and if you are allergic to anything else.
What Tests are Available for Determining a Food Allergy?
There are several different tests that an allergy specialist may perform in order to determine whether or not you have food allergies. One of the most common is called a skin prick test. Your doctor will gently prick the skin using a device that places a small amount of the suspected allergen under the skin through pricking or scratching for this type of allergy testing. Depending on the patient’s age, the doctor will either prick a patch of skin on the arms or the back. If you are allergic to a food, your skin may develop a reaction such as a raised bump or hives. If you do get a skin reaction, your allergist will measure the physical reaction that occurs. If there are multiple hives or skin reactions, the allergist will measure the size of each one. Generally, it takes about 10-20 minutes for symptoms to appear if you have an allergy. The number of allergy tests that the doctor orders and even the skin’s condition can all be a factor in when you can expect reactions to occur.
The food challenge test is another test that the allergist may order. The food challenge test is given when the food allergy is expected but is suspected to be less severe. If an allergist decides to do a food challenge test, it will be conducted in a controlled environment under medical supervision. In the food challenge test, the patient is typically instructed to bring in a piece of food that they may be allergic to. The patient then eats the food while in the doctor’s office. After consuming the food, patients are closely monitored to see if any adverse reactions occur.
RAST is another type of food allergy testing. This type of test is pretty quick and obtains results within just a few days. For this type of allergy test, your doctor will use just a single needle prick to obtain results, which you can expect to get back soon after your appointment.
If your doctor suspects that testing for allergies using a skin test will be problematic, a blood test may be ordered instead. Blood tests are generally reserved for cases where a suspected food allergy would cause severe reactions. A doctor may also perform a blood test in conjunction with a skin test to learn more about the food or foods you’re allergic to.