Skin testing is ideal for diagnosing allergies to airborne allergens that can lead to allergic rhinitis and asthma, and can be helpful in diagnosing food allergy. Skin testing is also commonly used to diagnose insect allergy and occasionally drug allergy.
The surface of your skin is pricked or “scratched” with tiny amounts of a number of specific allergens. If the results are positive, a small reaction on the skin occurs, usually within 20 minutes. This reaction usually causes some itchiness and is very similar to a mosquito bite. This indicates that you are very allergic to that specific trigger. If no bump appears, we normally do a follow up test to that specific allergen with another small injection of extract. Depending on the results of your skin test, your allergist will determine the best way to treat your allergy symptoms.
Skin testing is the most reliable form of allergy testing. Because histamine-containing cells are located in high numbers just under the skin, results of skin testing have proven to be more accurate than blood testing in diagnosing allergies. Because we are looking for histamine in the skin, we ask you to stop all antihistamine-type medications for a few days prior to your visit.
The allergen extracts used to diagnose respiratory allergens include dust mite, animal dander, molds, cockroach and pollen (trees, grasses, and weeds). The battery of food extracts we use include the common (milk, egg, wheat, soy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish) and not-so-common causes of food-related allergic conditions. In the case of insects, we mostly use venom extracts.
Age is not a barrier for skin testing, people of all ages can be tested. As the child’s immune system develops, the child should be retested to identify changes in his/her immune response. In addition to completing a fellowship in Allergy & Immunology, our allergists train in either pediatrics or internal medicine, so we are very comfortable treating pediatric patients for allergies and asthma.
Maybe you’ve been referred for allergy testing by your primary care physician or you’ve become tired of your itchy watery eyes occurring every spring like clockwork. Allergy skin testing has changed over the years. The test our nurses administer is a simple series of tiny scratches made on your back. They use a small instrument similar to a plastic toothpick, which contains trace amounts of a single allergen, such as mold, pollen, dust mite, and pet dander to perform the allergy test. When the results are positive, a small reaction (small bump, similar to a mosquito bite) on the skin occurs, usually within 20 minutes. A bump or reaction may cause itchiness that indicates that you are allergic to that specific trigger.
To be allergy tested, patients must stop certain medications that block an allergic reaction from occurring.
Asthma and Allergy Associates of Florida accepts most major health insurance plans and networks in the areas we serve. Certain plans may not cover all of our services or may have referral requirements that are the responsibility of the patient. Please check with your insurance carrier to determine if we are in-network and if there are any referral requirements for your visit.
Please bring with you a complete list of all medications, as well as your pharmacy number and street address. We routinely send prescriptions electronically and need your pharmacy information to ensure accuracy.
Your initial visit will take 2-3 hours in total. During the testing process, we will use a marking pen on your back and arms, which may cause staining on a shirt. For this reason, we suggest you bring an older shirt with you to wear home.
We ask that patients stop taking certain medications that contain antihistamines anywhere from three (3) to five (5) days prior to testing. Click here for a detailed list.
Do not stop taking any inhaled asthma medications or routine medications that treat high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, etc.
Our doctors also take a medical history in addition to the allergy test to determine what allergens are bothersome and diagnose an allergy. Patients will be made aware during their initial visit what allergens they have tested positive to. Based on the test results of your allergy skin test, our allergists determine the best treatment options for your allergies and their symptoms.
Per the American Academy of Pediatrics, age is not a barrier to skin testing. Even infants can benefit. As the child’s immune system develops, the child should be retested to identify changes in his/her immune response. Many times foods can be reintroduced into the diet that once caused an allergic reaction. In addition to Allergy & Immunology, our allergists train in either pediatrics or internal medicine, so we are very comfortable treating pediatric patients for allergies and asthma.
Don’t keep suffering from allergies. Schedule an appointment today with one of our board-certified allergists.
Call our offices at 888.737.6326 to schedule an appointment today!