Allergy Skin Testing, Helping to Diagnose Dangerous Allergic Reactions

Seasonal pollen allergies affect millions of people around Europe and the rest of the world; however, there are other types of allergies which are more serious and life threatening. Some of them include drug allergies and food allergies.

Most common symptoms for pollen allergies include sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, nasal congestion, itchy skin, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Triggers for these allergies include pollen, weeds, grass, moulds, pets or animal dander, etc. The most common food allergies are from nuts, milk and sometimes milk products. Doing an allergy skin test is the best way to narrow down the trigger.

Besides the allergy skin test is a type of skin scratch test which is suitable for individuals who have a fear of needles; it is slightly irritating, but typically does not cause any pain. Individuals who are subject to allergy skin testing will have to wait for 15 to 20 minutes or longer for any kind of reaction to manifest itself. The final results will ultimately determine the course of treatment as prescribed by the treating doctor or allergist.

The allergy skin test is the best alternative to blood allergy testing, which is very accurate, but not popular with some people, especially those who fear needles and/or blood. The allergy skin test has been known to cause some irritation for patients, but on the plus side, there is some mild irritation but very little pain. Another variation of this test is the allergen-coated patch which is attached to the skin.