This spring's allergy season may be one of the worst ever, with pollen counts at all time highs in some parts of the country, countless allergy sufferers are left wondering what they can do. The basic approach is to find out what causes your allergic reactions and avoid those triggers. Simply stated, that may be easier said than done. However, once the allergens are identified there are many treatment options. Some people resort to prescription drugs which often have undesirable side effects and may not be that effective. Others effectively use the combination of reducing the overall allergenic load and natural supplements like quercetin and anti-allergenic plant medicines.
Allergy testing falls into a few categories. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology the following tests are approved for the detection of IgE type allergies:
1. Skin Prick Test- involves introducing a small amount of allergen into the skin by making a small puncture through a drop of the allergen extract. With testing, swelling occurs only in the spots where the tiny amount of allergen to which you are allergic has been introduced, usually in about 15 minutes.
2. Intradermal Test- involves injecting a small amount of allergen under the skin with a syringe. This form of testing is more sensitive than the prick skin test method. This form of allergy testing may be used if the prick skin tests are negative.
3. Blood (RAST) test- Sometimes a blood test, called a RAST (radioallergosorbent) test may be performed. Since this test involves drawing blood, it costs more, and the results are not available as rapidly as skin tests. RAST tests are generally used only in cases in which skin tests can not be performed, such as on patients taking certain medications, or those with skin conditions that may interfere with skin testing.
Posted by Dr. Jennifer Stagg on June 30, 2006 05:05 PM
