What is allergen?
An allergen is a usually harmless substance capable of triggering a response that starts in the immune system and results in an allergic reaction. For instance, if you have an allergy to pollen, your immune system identifies pollen as an invader or allergen. The immune system responds by releasing chemicals that typically cause symptoms in the nose, throat, eyes, ears, skin or roof of the mouth.
What are the types of allergies?
Drug Allergy, Food Allergy, Insect Allergy, Latex Allergy, Mold Allergy, Pet Allergy, Pollen Allergy, Chemical Allergy.
Does everyone get allergies?
No. Most allergies are inherited, which means they are passed on to children by their parents. People inherit a tendency to be allergic, although not to any specific allergen. If your child develops an allergy, it is very likely that you or your partner has allergies.
What are the most common allergens in food?
Seafood, Cereals Containing Gluten, Crustaceans, Eggs, Fish, Milk, Nuts and Soya.
What are the early symptoms of an allergy?
• Itchy, watery or red eyes.
• Circles under eyes.
• Itchy mouth, nose or throat.
• Runny or stuffy nose.
• Drainage from the nose down the back of the throat
• Temporary loss of smell.
• Headache.
• Sneezing.
How long can an allergy last?
Allergies occur at the same time every year and last as long as the allergen is in the air (usually 2-3 weeks per allergen). Allergies cause itching of the nose and eyes along with other nasal symptoms. Colds last about one week and have less itching of the nose and eyes.
Why do allergy symptoms get worse at night?
Warm temperatures push pollen into the air, but cooler evening air means that pollen falls back down to cover outdoor surfaces at night. If you collect pollen (or other allergens) in your hair or clothes over the course of the day, it can cause a bedtime allergy.
What happens if allergy is not treated?
Can eventually lead to inflammation and infection.
Can allergies be cured permanently?
Allergies can’t be cured, but symptoms can be controlled using a combination of avoidance measures and medications.
How to deal with allergy season?
• Stay indoors on dry, windy days. The best time to go outside is after a good rain, which helps clear pollen from the air.
• Avoid gardening chores that stir up allergens.
• Remove clothes you’ve worn outside and shower to rinse pollen from your skin and hair.
• Don’t hang laundry outside pollen can stick to sheets and towels.
• Wear a face mask if you do outside chores.
How to know your allergen?
Book an appointment with us for your allergen screening. We do have specific and general screening to know your allergen.
What are the benefits if I get to know my allergen?
If you know your allergen, you can avoid it and it’s going to ease your life from getting the symptoms. I’m pretty sure the symptoms are troubling and disturbing your daily routine. Ultimately, the goal here is to improve your life quality.
Is allergen test expensive?
The allergen test is affordable at price. But it’s better to know your allergen rather than suffer from on and off with symptoms when you expose yourself to it. Precaution is better in this matter.
What type of allergic test do we have in the clinic?
We have two types of tests at our clinic – IgE serum allergy test and Cambridge food intolerance test. I know the words sound very fancy to you, but let me explain what it actually means.
IgE Serum Allergy Test
What happens during an allergy blood test?
We will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.
Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?
You don’t need any special preparations for an allergy blood test. For children, please talk to the doctor about which allergy test is best for specific symptoms and how to best prepare.
Are there any risks to the test?
Adult: There is very little risk to having an allergy blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.
Children: After the test, your child may have a small bruise or mild soreness at the injection site for a few days.
What do the results mean?
A total IgE test result that is high means that you may have some kind of allergy. But the results of a total IgE test don’t show what you’re allergic to or how serious your allergy may be.
A specific IgE test result that is high means that you may be allergic to the allergen that was tested however, the amount of IgE measured doesn’t predict how serious your allergy may be.
• If the results from either type of test show that you could have an allergy, your provider may refer you to an allergy specialist or recommend a treatment plan. Your treatment plan will depend on what you are allergic to and how serious your symptoms are.
• If you’re at risk for anaphylactic shock, you’ll need to be very careful to avoid the things you are allergic to. You may need to carry an emergency epinephrine treatment (an epinephrine auto-injector) with you at all times. Anaphylactic shock is most common with allergies to certain foods, medicines, insect stings, and latex. Ask your provider if you are at risk for anaphylactic shock and discuss any questions you have about your test results or your allergy treatment plan.
Is there anything else I need to know about an allergy blood test?
Allergy blood tests may not always be accurate. Sometimes the results may say you have an allergy when you actually don’t (also known as a false positive). This may happen if your body is having a slight reaction to substances in certain foods that you may have eaten before the test. It’s uncommon for a blood test to show that you don’t have an allergy when you actually do (also known as a false negative).
Cambridge Food Intolerance Test
What happens during an allergy blood test?
This is a rapid test kit. The reaction tray is spotted with food protein extracts. A small blood sample is taken and is then diluted and added to the tray. In subsequent steps the use of detector and developer solutions identifies the presence of food antibodies.
Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?
Technically, no. As long as you are prepared to get your blood drawn, that’s all there is to it. Be prepared for the test results within the day.
Are there any risks to the test?
The test is safe and simple to use. The usual risks of blood taking (phlebotomy apply).
Is there anything else I need to know about an allergy blood test?
One of the problems with diagnosing food intolerance is that symptoms are often delayed. Symptoms can begin hours or even days after eating, making it hard to know what food caused a reaction. One way to figure out your food intolerance is by implementing an elimination diet, in which you start by removing some foods from your diet until your symptoms subside. Then, you slowly start to introduce these foods again, until one of them causes a reaction.
Diagnostic tests which can guide you in this process are an excellent first step as they can make the whole procedure much easier by highlighting what to eliminate first. In cases of Food Intolerance your body reacts to the food by releasing certain antibodies.
If your test shows an elevated level of antibodies to a specific food, it is suggested to remove that food from your diet for at least 3 months in order to completely eliminate it from your system. When the symptoms subside, the eliminated foods can be reintroduced one by one to monitor any reactions.
