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Allergy
Allergies seem to be ever increasing (in the UK by 5% each year) and it is thought that around 33% (1 in 3) of the Western population will need to be seen by a doctor at some stage in their life because of their symptoms. Many cases of rhinitis (tissue inflammation that causes persistent nasal congestion, nose bleeds, nasal itching and sneezing) can be attributed to allergic causes.
An allergy is actually the body's immune system reacting to a substance in the environment (known as an allergen), resulting in a reaction that causes symptoms and disease. An allergic person's immune system thinks that allergens are invading and damaging the body so therefore produces a special type of antibody, Immunoglobulin E (IgE), to attack them. In turn, other blood cells are triggered to release further chemicals, which together can cause irritation and inflammation - in other words, an allergic response.
Skin Prick Test
This test is simple and quick, with results within 15-20 minutes. Allergens are introduced into the skin in such tiny amounts that testing is quite safe and can be carried out on all age groups, including babies. It is usually carried out on the inner forearm, but if you have bad eczema the test can be performed on your back. The area to be tested is coded with a marker pen for each allergen and a drop of the solution is placed by each code. The skin is then pricked through the drop using the tip of a lancet. This can feel a little uncomfortable but should not be painful. The nurse will assess the test sites for the presence of redness (known as erythema) and lumps (known as wheals) after 15 minutes. The wheals, which feel very much like a reaction to a nettle sting, clear within an hour for most people and indicate that a level of antibodies are or are not present which may be causing your symptoms.
It is important that you do not take any form of antihistamine for at least 48 hours before the test as these medicines may affect the results.
Blood Tests
Allergy blood tests are used to confirm the immune response to specific suspected allergens, in particular the amount of Immunoglobulin E circulating in the blood. Samples of your blood are drawn from your arm at the Clinic and are sent to our laboratory, The Doctors Laboratory, for analysis. The results take a few days to process but will confirm whether or not your body reacts to any substances we have tested for and will also be graded to indicate the severity of the reaction. These grades range from 0-6, with 0 indicating a negative response, grade 1 indicating sensitivity through to grade 6 indicating an extremely high sensitivity.
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