FOOD ALLERGY TESTS

How to prepare for allergy testing? Antihistamine and antidepressant drugs should be stopped 3-5 days before testing, but only with doctor’s approval.

Skin Prick Test

A skin prick test can confirm allergies to certain foods. A drop of a dissolved food sample is placed on the forearm, and pricked with a needle and thus pushed beneath the skin; a red bump, appearing in 10-15 minutes (in delayed reaction in several hours) speaks for allergy (1). False positive results are common but false negative results are rare. The size of the skin reaction does not reflects the severity of allergy. Rarely, an anaphylactic reaction (a life threatening immune response) may occur during the test.

continue reading Food Allergy and Food Intolerance Tests

What Is and What Is Not a Food Allergy?

Food allergy (Greek allon = different, strange; ergon= activity) is an exaggerated reaction of the immune system to certain food substances otherwise not harmful for the man. These substances, when triggering an allergy, are called allergens. Practically any food may contain substances that can act as allergens; most of people with a food allergy are allergic to fewer than four foods at a certain time, though (5). Allergic reaction involves production of IgE antibodies and releasing of histamine into affected tissues. It is histamine that causes most symptoms like itchy skin or diarrhea.

continue reading Common Food Allergies in Children and Adults – Causes, Symptoms, Test