Your simple guide to allergy tests

4th March 2020

Your simple guide to allergy tests

Allergies are a nuisance – just ask 44% of the UK population. We are more aware of the negative effects allergies can have on us, such as deadly anaphylactic shocks. This means we’re more cautious of how our body responds to certain foods, products, or animals.

But sometimes your allergy can be a big question mark. You have allergic reactions from time to time but have no idea why. That’s where an allergy test can come in handy. But with so many different types of tests, how do you know which one to go for? Let’s break down some of the common allergy tests you might come across.

Blood test

We’ll start with one of the oldest and maybe one that isn’t for the squeamish amongst you. A blood test is exactly what it sounds like. A sample of your blood is taken and analysed for specific antibodies in your system.

If you are squeamish, then good news! Modern blood tests can analyse for hundreds of allergies with the same sample. So you don’t have to go through multiple tests to get your results. The downside? Blood tests are hard to analyse on their own and are best done along with another type of test…

Skin prick test

This might be the most common test. In this, a sample of an allergen is put on your skin and a small prick made to break your skin. This lets the allergen soak in. If you’re allergic to it, you will see a small, red, bite-like bump form. It won’t take more than 15 minutes.

Usually, multiple allergens are tested at once, making your skin look a bit like a bingo card. But don’t worry, it’s a safe and relatively painless procedure. This type of test pairs well with blood tests to get a complete picture.

Patch test

This is more commonly used to test for contact dermatitis, a type of eczema. It’s similar to the skin prick test in that some of the allergen is placed on your skin. This time, there’s no skin prick and it’s left on you for 48 hours. After that, a doctor will be able to see how your skin has reacted and if you have an allergy.

Elimination diet

This is mainly used for food allergies. If you suspect something in particular is causing a reaction, you can eliminate it from your diet and see if things improve. Feel bloated after a pizza? Cut out dairy and see how you feel. Don’t try this on your own though – always consult a professional.

The same advice can be said for every test. Don’t play with your health; let an expert allergist decide on the test. No matter which type of test you go for, always trust the opinion of your doctors. They can get you back to your healthy self in no time again.

At the London Allergy & Immunology Centre, we specialise in state-of-the-art allergy testing and can even assist with at-home testing. If you have an allergy that’s bothering you, don’t hesitate to get in touch on 02031 433 449.

Beware of placebo ‘food intolerance tests’

7th February 2018

Beware of placebo ‘food intolerance tests’

The Irish Food Allergy Network has recently openly shared the Health Products Regulatory Authority’s (HPRA) latest review. It covers the types of food intolerance tests readily available on the market. If you are not familiar, the HPRA is the Irish competent authority in charge of the regulation of medical devices. These include the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) devices that are part of the food intolerance testing process. While they are not responsible for regulating allergy or intolerance advice, they are in charge of monitoring the products on the market. In this case, it is their advice to the public to not rely on them; an opinion that is backed up by the IFAN. While this may be the case in Ireland, the situation with the products in the UK are the same story.

Intolerance vs allergy

To be clear, there is a distinct difference between food intolerance and food allergies. A food intolerance refers to the condition where the underlying medical causes are undetermined, yet the patient clearly demonstrates unpleasant symptoms as a result of eating particular foods. These symptoms may typically be severe indigestion, uncomfortable bloating, or excessive flatulence. In contrast to a food allergy which has severe effects. An allergic reaction usually comes in the form of rapid swelling of the face and trouble catching one’s breath. In bad cases, anaphylaxis will occur, which requires immediate medical care.

It only takes a small particle of the offending food to trigger a food allergy. These symptoms can lend themselves to be life-threatening. Unlike an intolerance which is unpleasant but manageable.

The trouble with tests

We can reflect a lot on the reports from across the water when it comes to intolerance and food testing. For one thing, as there is little known about the root cause of food intolerance, any test on the market claiming to indicate the existence of an intolerance to food has no clinical validity. Making it both pointless and a waste of money. The test work by examining a blood marker known as ‘immunoglobulin G’ (IgG). For the most part, all these IgG tests might show is that you had an increase of proteins recently – which is standard in everyday eating – which has zero relevance to your intolerance to any foods.

Taking the advice of tests without a medical professional with the right credentials can be dangerous. It is not worth the risk when it comes to your health. It could turn out to be that the symptoms you face are the result of an underlying issue that you have missed because you have wrongfully diagnosed yourself as having a food allergy.

Doing it the right way

To accurately review your intolerance and perform a food intolerance test your medical history and symptoms need to be adequately analysed by allergy immunology and gastroenterology consultants.

When done in the right way, food intolerance tests are incredibly useful. Mainly because they can help you better understand how to eat for your body. With our food intolerance tests, our expert clinicians will provide and explain your results in plain English and help you plan how to eat accordingly. It is vital you get a balanced and healthy nutritious diet and so it is better to have the appropriate dietary advice from registered dietitians instead of diagnosing yourself off of bad information from the wrong people.

If you would like help or advice on food intolerances and allergies, we’d love to help you. Book an appointment with one of our consultants today. They can arrange the appropriate monitoring along with your symptoms.