When to Talk to an Allergist About Allergy Testing
If you have itchy eyes and a runny nose every spring, you can probably guess that you're allergic to some seasonal irritant. You might manage your problems with medication from the drugstore and wonder if allergy testing is necessary. Allergy testing is useful because it helps you detect all of the allergens that bother you so you can avoid them. You might also be allergic to an irritant present in your home all year and just not realize that's why you feel bad a lot of the time. Here's some information on when to have allergy testing done.
When You've Had a Severe Allergic Reaction
If you've had a bad reaction to a sting or food, you want allergy testing for certain identification of what caused your attack. If your allergy attack came after eating a meal, you may have no idea which food caused it. When your attacks are severe, avoiding your allergens is critical. The only way you can do that is to have testing done so you know what you have to avoid.
When You Have Symptoms All Year
If you take over-the-counter allergy medications throughout the year, it's a good idea to be tested to find out what's causing your symptoms. You may find that you're allergic to a number of things, or it might be narrowed down to the dog or cat in your home. Knowing the cause of your scratchy throat and runny nose helps you deal with the problem.
You may not want to get rid of the family dog, but if you learn it causes allergy symptoms, you can restrict the dog to certain rooms of your home and work hard at keeping hairs and dander vacuumed so the air in your home stays clean. Installing an air purifier and turning your bedroom into an allergy-free zone can help reduce some of the symptoms you have. You might even need to take allergy shots to get complete relief if you're allergic to several things.
When You Want to Identify Seasonal Allergens
Your spring symptoms could be triggered by a particular bush or tree that's outside your bedroom window. By removing the bothersome plants from your yard, or by keeping your windows shut, you might have some relief from symptoms. You may just be curious about what triggers you, and finding your allergens is just part of managing your symptoms.
Allergy testing is safe, so you can have it done at any age. However, it should be done by an allergist so the results can be considered along with your medical history to get accurate results, which is important when you have severe reactions or when you want to use avoidance as a form of management.
