What is an Allergy Test?

Spring, Summer, and Fall can each have their own special kind of magic here in Oklahoma, but if you are among the ranks of allergy sufferers throughout the state,  you probably cringe at the thought. The weather changing, temperatures climbing or falling, and plants seeding or budding all of it can seem like an omen for an allergic form of misery.

Here at OOA, we help allergy sufferers of all types get the aid and relief they need. If you are an allergy sufferer, want to help but to do that we need to pinpoint exactly what your allergies are. To do that we conduct an Allergy test.

How it works:

While there are several different types of allergy tests, the most common are known as the prick or skin test. This test graphs out an area of skin and then pricks it with a very tiny amount of a specific allergen. This is usually done on the back, but can also be done on the upper and lower arm.

From here your doctor will apply tiny amounts of potential allergens like pet dander, dust mites, foods, pollens and much more.
Then you will wait for 15 to 20 minutes to see results. If you are allergic, the area often gets puffy and red, if you are not, it will stay normal.

While there maybe a bit of discomfort from the pricks, the procedure is usually pain-free and whole body reactions are exceptionally rare.  However, the Doctor will stay with you the entire time to keep an eye on the procedure so expect your appointment to last about an hour.

Sometimes, Doctors will want to see if anything changes over time and may want you to come back to the office for an evaluation after  48 hours.

Before you start:

Before you come in, make sure you talk to your doctor about your medications, diet and lifestyle. They will then prescribe changes to make sure the results are as precise and accurate as possible. Most of the time, this is as simple as avoiding allergy medication before you come in.

Once your doctor knows exactly what allergies you have, then you both can move on to treating them, as accurately as possible. This accuracy will help you stop suffering and let you get back onto the things you love.

If you’re interested in finding out just what you’re allergic to, don’t hesitate to contact OOA. Allergies can seem overwhelming, but treatment can be as easy as taking this first step.