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Allergy tests are performed on people who struggle with various symptoms caused by allergens. Ailments may affect the skin, digestive and respiratory systems. Thanks to the results of the examination, it is possible to eliminate the factor causing the troublesome symptoms. One of the methods of performing allergy tests is to test a patient’s blood sample.
An allergy is the body’s inappropriate response to an external factor called an allergen. These are substances that are harmless to healthy people and are treated by the allergy’s immune system as a threat. This means that an allergic person will experience various symptoms.
Before symptoms appear in the body of an allergic person, a reaction takes place that involves many immune cells and the compounds they produce. As a result, IgE antibodies are produced.
Allergies are genetic, and this tendency is known as atopy.
Allergy is often confused with intolerance, which causes similar symptoms. It is worth noting, however, that they are the result of a completely different mechanism. Allergy is the result of an abnormal defense response of the immune system to potentially harmless substances. On the other hand, intolerance means that a person’s body does not tolerate a certain substance (food or ingredient). The human body is therefore unable to absorb or digest it, because it does not have a sufficient amount of the substance needed for this or it does not have it at all.
You can buy allergy tests at Medonet Market, e.g. the Allergy package – diagnostic blood tests.
Check: Do allergies only affect children?
Allergy symptoms are usually not serious. However, they can be very troublesome. Belong to them:
- runny nose, sneezing and itchy nose;
- watery and itchy eyes;
- hives and itching of the skin;
- coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath;
- diarrhea and abdominal pain.
It is worth remembering that depending on what we are allergic to, an allergy may appear seasonal, e.g. allergy to pollen of various plants, or all year round, e.g. allergy to dust mites. In any case, allergy symptoms appear after contact with the allergen. Perform Imutest Allergy 3in1 – Cat, Mites, Grass Pollen – Home Cassette Test to help determine if you are allergic to the most common allergens.
Allergens can enter the human body in various ways, which is why they are divided into:
- Inhalation allergens – they circulate in the air and reach the human body with each inhalation through the respiratory system. These are mainly pollen from grasses, grains, trees, weeds, allergens from domestic animals, mites and fungi. Get an inhalation allergy packet – a packet of blood tests to find out what you’re allergic to;
- contact allergens – after contact with this group of allergens, eczema (urticaria) appears on the skin. It can appear after contact with metals (nickel, cobalt), but also with preservatives and fragrances, e.g. in cosmetics;
- Food allergens – symptoms appear after eating food that contains the allergen. Sometimes even a minimal amount of the allergen is enough. The main sources of allergies are milk, peanuts and other nuts, eggs, shellfish and other seafood, fish, soy and wheat;
- insect venom – in Poland the main allergens are the venom of bees, bumblebees, hornets and wasps;
- medications – e.g. penicillin.
You can test yourself for inhalation allergies by selecting a mail-order blood sample analysis. Medonet Market offers, among others, a panel of recombinant pollen (timothy grass and birch) or a wider respiratory panel for 10 allergens. You will find out in a similar way if you have a food allergy. Do your research on 10 allergens without leaving your home.
Worth reading: The era of food allergies
There are many substances that can sensitize, and it is worth noting that new ones appear constantly. If we suspect that we may be allergic to something, it is worth going to the family doctor who will refer us to a specialist, i.e. an allergist.
Allergy tests allow you to make an initial diagnosis and apply the appropriate treatment targeted at specific allergens.
During the consultation, the doctor will interview the patient and observe the symptoms, if they are present at the time of the examination. For him, important information will be e.g. family history of allergies, which may indicate the hereditary nature of the ailments. Usually, he also orders additional tests, such as allergy tests.
Among the allergy tests, the following should be distinguished:
- skin tests – the most popular method of diagnosing allergies;
- epidermal patch tests – used in the diagnosis of skin allergies;
- blood tests – to determine specific IgE antibodies in the blood;
- provocations – they check the body’s reaction to a specific allergen.
Check it out: What are the effects of not treating allergies?
Blood allergy tests are performed on a sample taken mostly from a vein in the arm. In the laboratory, the blood is tested for the concentration of IgE antibodies to specific allergens. If the result is elevated, it may mean that you are allergic to that factor.
These tests are based on the fact that the amount of IgE is significantly increased in people allergic to the allergen in question. Typically, blood allergy tests are performed by enzyme immunoassay in panels of 20-30 allergens.
- To reduce allergic reactions, reach for Cordyceps Extract – a powdered dietary supplement available at a favorable price on Medonet Market.
Blood allergy tests are performed in specific panels:
- food panel – this panel analyzes the 21 most common food allergens. These are mainly: cereal products, vegetables and fruits, milk and dairy products, legumes, nuts, fish, seafood;
- inhalation panel – this panel analyzes the 21 most common inhalation allergens. These are mainly: pollen, house dust mites, fungi and animal hair allergens;
- pediatric panel – this panel analyzes the 28 most common allergens among children. So they are food allergens, pollen, dust mites, animal allergens and fungi.
You can now buy a mail-order inhalation allergy panel that allows you to test for pollen, mite, animal skin and fungus allergies. You can also order an Allergy Test – Dog, Cat – Home Cassette Test to help determine if you are allergic to dog or cat hair.
Worth reading: Will allergy save us?
Molecular blood allergy tests are an innovative method of diagnosing allergies. Thanks to them, it is possible to analyze more allergens than with other methods. In addition, they allow you to determine the specific protein that causes the allergy, and not just the allergen extract. Therefore, they enable a precise selection of the treatment method depending on the type of allergy.
Blood allergy tests require taking a blood sample from a vein in the arm, which usually takes a few minutes. The waiting time for the results depends on the clinic and the selected panel. The results must then be analyzed by a doctor to make a diagnosis.
You should not prepare yourself for the tests. It is also not necessary to come to the examination on an empty stomach.
However, it is worth consulting a doctor in advance regarding the timing of the tests, e.g. pollen tests should be performed outside the pollen season. In addition, it is worth consulting the medications you are taking, as some preparations may interfere with the results. It is necessary, however, to discontinue antihistamines 1-2 weeks before the examination.
There is no age limit for the execution of the tests. However, you should not perform feeding tests on your baby if he or she has not eaten the food yet. It is then impossible to develop allergies.
The price of allergy tests depends on the number of allergens tested in one test and the laboratory method used. Blood allergy tests can be performed by enzyme immunoassay or molecular immunoassay. In the case of molecular tests, up to 280 allergens can be checked in one test. The prices for blood allergy tests are as follows:
- food panel approx. PLN 160-200;
- pediatric panel approx. PLN 160-200;
- inhalation panel approx. PLN 160-200;
- molecular tests about 1000-1500 PLN.