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Part of your allergy treatment process is finding out exactly what’s causing your symptoms. Your physician and their team may recommend getting yourself tested to narrow down the specific allergen or allergens, with one of the most common methods being an allergy skin test.
An allergy skin test is used to determine if a patient is allergic to one or multiple allergens. These tests are especially useful in diagnosing many of the airborne allergens from ragweed, mold, and pollen.
There are two usual allergy skin test methods your physician may perform:
Your physician or a member of their team will prepare your skin by administering small sample drops of differing allergens onto your skin. Next, they will prick your skin through the drops to elicit a physical reaction, which can take at least twenty minutes. If you are found to be allergic to any of the allergens, your skin will develop a small red bump.
For this test, the allergen is injected into the skin via small needles to create a more precise location. Like the previous test, potential reactions may occur within twenty minutes to determine if you have an allergy.
Even though an allergy test may require needles, it is not particularly painful for patients. At most, the sensation feels akin to a bee sting. The allergic reactions to the drops or needles are also more superficial rather than causing discomfort.
Following your allergy skin test, your allergist will determine which allergens you are reactive to and discuss your treatment options. These can range from at-home remedies for your symptoms like nasal sprays to immunotherapy options provided at our offices that provide long-term relief.
Dr. Robert Harley, a CEENTA ENT physician and allergy specialist who practices out of our SouthPark location, touts the success of immunotherapy for allergy relief. "Allergy immunotherapy is an effective long term solution for our patients with difficult to treat seasonal and year round airborne allergies."
If you’re ready for a spring filled with more fun and less sniffling and sneezing, schedule your allergy test with CEENTA’s board-certified physicians today. Get started with Dr. Harley at our SouthPark office today through our online scheduling platform or through your myCEENTAchart account.
This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor. New patients can make appointment online with any of our ENT doctors in North and South Carolina. Current patients can also make appointments through myCEENTAchart with physicians they have already seen.
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