About 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. The first step in effectively treating any allergy is to determine the substances, or allergens, that are causing the reaction. Once someone participates in allergen detection, or allergy testing, he is able to avoid allergy triggers and find relief from symptoms. Find an allergist to perform an allergen detection test to determine what substances cause an allergic reaction.
Reactions
An allergen is a substance that is inhaled, eaten or touched the skin that causes the immune system to produce antibodies and histamine to fight off the substance. These chemicals cause typical allergic reactions in the body, such as skin rashes, asthma and nasal complications. Medications are commonly used to treat allergy symptoms, but only treat the symptoms and not the cause of the reaction, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
Purpose
The purpose of allergen detection is to discover the cause of allergy symptoms, according to MayoClinic.com. The allergist will consider family history, symptoms and the results from allergy test to determine the cause of the allergic reactions and develop a plan of action to avoid allergens and the most effective medications and treatments.
Types
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, there are three types of allergen detection tests. The first is a skin test where the allergist will either place small drops of different suspected allergens on the arm or he will inject a small amount of the allergen directly under the skin of the patient and observe if there is a reaction. The second type of test is a challenge test, where the allergist has the patient breathe in or ingest a small amount of a suspected allergen to observe any reaction. If these two methods fail to show results, a blood test is performed for accuracy.
Risks
There is some risk when participating in allergen detection tests, according to MayoClinic.com. Common side effects of skin tests include hives and inflammation under the skin. If the skin rash persists, tell the allergist. In rare cases, an allergy test can cause a severe allergic reaction. After participating in allergen detection, the patient should remain under the allergist's watch for at least 30 minutes to ensure there isn't a severe reaction.
Considerations
Allergy detection testing is not for everyone. Talk with a doctor before participating in any medical testing. The allergist may recommend the use of immunotherapy to treat allergy symptoms related to hay fever or allergy-induced asthma.
