Have you ever experienced random symptoms of allergy — such as nausea, vomiting, or hives — without knowing what caused it? There are many different tests that can be administered in a board-certified allergist center in order to diagnose the cause of an allergy. Tests such as these are very helpful in an effort to protect yourself from dangers that could arise from allergic reactions. These tests include but are not limited to the following:

A Skin Prick Test

A skin prick test is done in the office of a medical doctor or an allergic center. They are performed by scratching or pricking the skin in specific places with allergens and then monitoring the reactions. These tests can be very informative since many different allergens can be tested at the same time. Skin prick tests are often performed on young children when trying to diagnose allergies. While testing may be uncomfortable, skin prick tests are one of the most common methods of allergy testing.

Blood Tests

When in the office of an allergist, it is possible to get your blood drawn and examined. Under a microscope, a trained eye can spot specific allergen antibodies within the blood. These antibodies are what react with allergies to cause reactions. Once the antibodies are diagnosed, it is easy to figure out what specific allergies you have. Talk to an allergist or physician to get the process of blood allergy testing started. 

Challenge Tests

A challenge test is often performed when a specific allergen is suspected. For example, if you think that you may have an allergy to peanuts, you can go to a physician's office where you will either inhale, taste, or come in contact with the nut. It is crucial to conduct these tests within the office of a qualified board allergist's office since there is a very real chance of experiencing a catastrophic allergic reaction. Never attempt to do a challenge test on your own or without medical supervision.

In conclusion, a board-certified allergist center has all of the tools needed to diagnose and identify allergies. Once an allergy has been identified, it is both possible and quite easy to treat them with the help of an allergist or physician. Your doctor will help you to learn techniques to avoid allergens such as reading food labels or avoiding specific trees. In order to get your allergy testing, talk to a board-certified allergist near you.