An Original Article By:

Klinik Dr Shah 

Dr.Shahjahan Bin Kassim Mbbs, Di Derm (Lon), Msc Alelrgy (Imperial)

How Can We Test For Allergies

       

       Yes, allergies are a common occurrence. It can manifest in many forms such as on skin(Eczema), respiratory(Rhinitis/Asthma) and even our digestive system(Gut-food allergy).

As almost anything can cause an allergic reaction, it can be frustrating form patients who often suffer silently for years.

        Consulting an allergist (allergy doctor) is a good first step to find out the allergies we have; how to avoid them & how to best manage it. Some allergies may disappear spontaneously after weeks or months while others may be persistent. In addition, allergy may be from an Exogenous-outside origin ( dust mite allergy) or it may an Endogenous (from within our body-immune system overdrive)

In addition, an allergic reaction may be caused by a single or multiple allergens. All of these factors make it a challenge for your doctor to arrive at a diagnosis from a single visit. Let's take a  look at what tests are available in Malaysia and its pros & cons(if any):

TEST	REMARKS
Allergy History	The most important step in narrowing the search for allergens
Physical Examination	Again- a vital step to identifying allergy location, severity and possible other underlying immune disorder
Allergy Test- Skin Prick Test	Accurate method to confirm or rule of if you have a specific allergy- can perform up to 20 allergens at a time. Pros: 1. It’s a painless procedure and may 2. Test within  20 minutes.       3.Results are read the same day
Blood Test(Specific IgE antibody)	Blood Test is done as a screening test of allergies when we can’t identify the suspect allergen.       Pro:  Many tests can be done(>100 test)     Con:-             -Not as accurate as the skin test -         Higher cost -         Results may take up to a week
Skin Patch Test	Test to identify chemical & metal allergies Allergens are applied on the skin directly and results are read after 48 hours Pro: Accurate                                   Con: can’t be done is patient has extensive eczema
Challenge Test	If skin & blood test is not conclusive - a challenge test is performed. Suspected food or allergen is either applied on the skin; inhaled or ingested in front of medical personal to record the allergic reaction. Done only in limited conditions. Best done in a hospital with an emergency facility.

          Skin prick test is relatively simple and easy to perform when the reagents are available (watch the video)

Hence, there are many tests available at Allergy clinics that help identify what our allergies are and how we can avoid them. Allergy avoidance will definitely improve the allergy symptoms such as asthma frequency and improvement of skin texture of an eczema patient.

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