Knowra Allergy testing Allergy testing Allergy testing uses skin, blood, or exposure tests to assess sensitization to specific allergens. Results help guide diagnosis but must be interpreted alongside symptoms and exposure history.
Skin prick test : A test that introduces small amounts of suspected allergens into the skin and measures local wheal-and-flare reactions. It detects immediate skin reactivity to allergen extracts and is a common first-line method.
Allergy : An immune-mediated hypersensitivity in which exposure to a substance causes reproducible clinical symptoms. Testing supports an allergy diagnosis only when immune findings fit the clinical reaction.
Allergic rhinitis : Inflammation of the nasal lining caused by an allergic response, commonly producing sneezing, itching, and congestion. Testing can identify relevant pollen, mite, or animal allergens behind nasal symptoms.
Allergy history : A clinical account of symptoms, timing, exposures, medicines, and prior reactions relevant to suspected allergy. History establishes whether a test result matches a plausible exposure and symptom pattern.
Allergen immunotherapy : A treatment that repeatedly administers selected allergens to reduce allergic sensitivity over time. Testing helps identify allergens that may be appropriate targets for immunotherapy.
Intradermal test : A test that injects a small amount of allergen beneath the skin to assess a local reaction. It can detect reactions missed by skin prick testing but carries greater risk of false positives.
Sensitization : The development of an immune response to a substance, which may occur without symptoms on exposure. A positive test may show sensitization without proving that the allergen causes illness.
Food allergy : An immune-mediated adverse reaction to a food that recurs with exposure. Testing helps evaluate suspected food triggers, while challenges may clarify uncertain cases.
False positive : A positive test result that incorrectly indicates the condition or target being assessed. Cross-reactivity or clinically irrelevant sensitization can make allergy tests positive without symptomatic allergy.
Avoidance therapy : A strategy of reducing or preventing exposure to substances that cause clinically significant allergic reactions. Test-guided avoidance is useful only when the identified sensitization matches actual symptoms.
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