Allergy testing in Singapore is widely available especially since food allergies are more prevalent now. In fact, 1 in 13 children have food allergies. Let’s take a look at what allergy tests are and how they work.
Allergy tests are performed to identify if your body is allergic to certain substances. Essentially, an allergic reaction is the overreaction of your immune system when it comes into contact with some harmless substances like food, mold, and dust.
There are various ways to test for allergies, these are:
Allergy tests are conducted by introducing or exposing small amounts of allergens to your skin, blood, or via ingestion, then watching for a reaction. The allergens used in an allergy test are proteins from substances that have been known to trigger allergies. An allergic reaction occurs when your immune system overreacts to these proteins by producing antibodies known as IgE. Hence, testing your blood for IgE levels can identify which allergens you are allergic to.
If you experience the following symptoms, you may be having an allergic reaction, and should undergo an allergy test to find out what you are allergic to.
Some allergic reactions are life-threatening, pay attention to your symptoms and seek medical help if you are having difficulty breathing.
An allergy test is only accurate if its results are analysed in consideration of your general health and medical history. Before your allergy test, you must:
The most common effect of an allergy test are rashes. However, a small amount of individuals experience an anaphylactic shock which is a severe but rare allergic reaction where your blood pressure drops, your airways start to narrow, and breathing becomes increasingly difficult.
These complications can be avoided by performing allergy testing via blood tests instead of skin prick test.
You may feel some mild discomfort, but allergy tests are not painful. Discomfort and complications from the allergy testing can be avoided by doing the blood tests instead of skin prick test.
