Asthma & Allergy News Stories
Allergy tests vary
Posted: Oct 2, 2009 12:32 PM by News First 5
Sneezing, congestion, watery eyes, scratchy throat. Is it a cold, the flu or an allergy?
If your doctor suspects an allergy, there are several possible tests you may undergo:
* Skin tests, which involve placing potential allergens under the skin to look for any reaction. Skin tests can gauge pollen, food, mold and other potential allergens.
* An elimination diet test looks for foods that can be causing allergy symptoms, and involves removing foods from the diet one at a time.
* Blood tests can be used to detect antibodies to potential allergens in the blood.
* Provocation testing exposes someone to particular allergens in a controlled environment to see if there is a reaction.
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