Allergy Testing For Children and Adults

Skin Testing: Allergy skin testing or prick skin testing is a method to allow your doctor to determine what substances cause you to have allergies and prescribe the best treatment. This is a quick and specific method to determine your body’s reaction to pollen, animals, mold, food and other substances. The procedure is quick and causes little discomfort to the patient.

After your doctor speaks with you about your symptoms and specific problems, he may decide to place skin tests. At Buckeye Allergy, we use a multiple testing device (see picture to left) that allows us to place eight tests at once. On the end of each plastic finger is a drop of allergen extract containing a liquid form of the substance to which you may be allergic, i.e. pollen, animals, or food. The device is placed on the skin with gentle pressure, introducing a microscopic amount of the liquid into the skin. Once that is done, we simply wait 15-20 minutes for the results. In that amount of time we watch to see if the skin forms a small raised red area similar to a mosquito bite. The area tested may itch, but this will disappear in about 30 minutes. You should not use Anti-Histamine medicines (Benadryl, Allegra, Zyrtec, Claritin, Clarinex, Alavert) for 5 days prior to testing; these medicines will block the skin tests and not allow for accurate results.

Intradermal Testing: This method of skin testing is similar to prick skin testing (see above). If that method of testing is negative and your doctor suspects a particular allergy, he may decide to do slightly stronger tests, called intradermals. Here, a very small needle is used to inject a small amount of the allergy extract under the skin. Again, we then wait 15-20 minutes for the results. The positive test looks the same, a raised red area, similar to a mosquito bite. You should not use Anti-Histamine medicines (Benadryl, Allegra, Zyrtec, Claritin, Clarinex, Alavert) for 5 days prior to testing; these medicines will block the skin tests and not allow for accurate results.

Pulmonary Function Tests or Spirometry: In addition to testing for allergies, patients with Asthma or lung disease may require pulmonary or lung function tests. In this test, you will be asked to blow into a tube, connected to a computer. The computer will be able to measure how much air you blow out or breathe in. You will do this several times so that we can record your best effort. From this test, your doctor will be able to estimate your lung capacity, and see how fast you are able to blow your air out. Patients with lung disease can’t blow their air out as fast when they are having problems or exacerbations of their disease. This test allows the doctor to monitor your disease and determine the best ongoing treatment.

Pulmonary Function Tests or Spirometry: In addition to testing for allergies, patients with Asthma or lung disease may require pulmonary or lung function tests. In this test, you will be asked to blow into a tube, connected to a computer. The computer will be able to measure how much air you blow out or breathe in. You will do this several times so that we can record your best effort. From this test, your doctor will be able to estimate your lung capacity, and see how fast you are able to blow your air out. Patients with lung disease can’t blow their air out as fast when they are having problems or exacerbations of their disease. This test allows the doctor to monitor your disease and determine the best ongoing treatment.

Patch Testing: Patch testing is a way for the doctor to determine if you are reacting to common chemicals that come into contact with your skin. This test allows the doctor to determine if you will react to substances like Nickel, fragrances, chemical in hair dye and others. Here, a piece of paper with small samples of the chemicals is taped to your back. The paper is left in place for 48 hours. After two days, you will return to the office so that it can be read. During these two days, you can’t get the paper wet or take it off.