Allergy test

Allergy Tests are the diagnostic tools with which we can provide the doctor and the patient with accurate information for the treatment of one or more allergic diseases of the patient.

Allergy tests are divided into:

Skin prick test, a painless procedure in which the allergens we want to test are placed in liquid form (extracts) and the allergist passes them through the patient’s skin with the help of a small needle.

Intradermal Testing, which mainly involves drugs and is done by inserting the allergen just below the skin layer.

Patch test, in which paper stickers soaked with the allergen in question are placed on the patient’s back.

Allergy test with challenge. It usually concerns food allergy and small amounts of the culprit food are given to achieve desensitisation.

Allergy tests by blood sampling, which are done by the simple blood sampling procedure and can diagnose the particular allergen that the allergist considers responsible.

When do I need to have a blood allergy test?

With blood tests for allergies the doctor can check the total IgE which is known as immunoglobulin E. Specific IgE antibodies (specific IgE -sIgE) are responsible for causing allergies in the patient such as hay fever, allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma etc. The sIgE when in contact with the responsible allergen causes histamine secretion and is then expressed in the allergic symptoms (itching, coughing, sneezing etc). Blood allergy tests can be done when the doctor wants to identify the responsible allergens that are causing symptoms in the patient.

What are the differences between Skin Allergy Tests and Blood Allergy Tests

Allergy skin tests can be done on the spot by an allergist in a hospital or doctor’s office. Results usually appear within a few minutes. You may need to cross-check results with blood tests.

Allergy tests with blood sampling have a short examination time but due to the special laboratory test the results are available in a few days.

Themain advantages of blood allergytests over skin tests or challenges are:

1. Higher sensitivity to most allergens
2. Larger number of allergens in one blood sample
3. Shorter examination time
4. Possible storage of the sample for future use and investigation of other factors. (always in consultation with the laboratory)

What allergies can I check for with blood tests

There are allergy tests that can detect large groups of allergens, which are the most common in causing allergies. These groups include allergens from food, plants, pets, mites, dust mites, dust, etc.

The allergy tests that are done by blood sampling are