Do you have an allergy? How to find out the exact cause? (Allergy Testing)

Do you sometimes suddenly get red all over your body and start itching? Or do you sneeze after sneeze, your eyes get red, and you have difficulty breathing as soon as you breathe in a little dust? You must have experienced these things too. Many of us call this condition ' allergy '. But many people suffer without knowing exactly where this allergy comes from, that is, what is wrong with you. So today, let's talk about how to find the real cause of this allergy that is bothering your body.

What exactly is an allergy?

Simply put, an allergy is an unwanted reaction in our immune system. Normally, our body's immune system is responsible for fighting off germs that cause disease. But sometimes, when things that are actually harmless to the body (for example, dust, pollen, certain foods, animal dander, etc.) enter the body, our immune system mistakenly thinks that these are a big enemy and starts a fight against them. As a result of this fight, we experience the symptoms of an allergy (itching, sneezing, shortness of breath). In medical terms, we call these things that cause allergies allergens .

Why do you need the help of a doctor?

Most of the time, we can get some idea of ​​the cause of our allergies. For example, if you get a rash all over your body just by eating shrimp curry, then you may be allergic to shrimp. Or if you sneeze and have a runny nose just by touching your cat, then it could be because of the cat's fur. In such cases, you can control your allergies by staying away from those things.

The doctor will first ask you about your symptoms, when they occur, your lifestyle, and whether anyone in your family has asthma or allergies to get a good idea of ​​your condition. Then, he or she may recommend some special tests to pinpoint the allergen.

Main tests to find the cause of allergies

There are three main types of tests to determine the exact cause of an allergy.

1. Skin Tests

This is the most widely used, most successful, and fastest -resulting method in the world. Here's what happens:

• The doctor will place a few drops of a special liquid made from the things you suspect you may be allergic to (dust, pollen, foods, mold, etc.) on the skin of your hand or back.
• Then, a very fine, tiny needle is used to make a small incision on the skin where the drop of liquid is. This doesn't hurt, it just feels like a small scratch.
• Now wait for about 15-20 minutes. If your body is allergic to a certain substance, the area where the drop of liquid was applied will turn slightly red and swell up like a small blister, like a mosquito bite.
• By looking at these results, the doctor can tell you exactly what you are allergic to.

2. Specific IgE Blood Tests

Some people cannot have skin tests. For example, people with severe skin conditions (like eczema) or those taking certain medications may have difficulty doing this test. In those cases, a blood test is done.

• What happens here is that a little blood is taken from your body and the level of antibodies in it is tested.
• Simply put, when an allergen enters our body, our body's immune system produces a special type of antibody called `Immunoglobulin E (IgE)` to fight it.
• This blood test checks whether you have too many `IgE` antibodies in your blood against a particular allergen. If the `IgE` level in your blood is high, it means that you are allergic to that substance.

3. Elimination / Challenge Tests

This method is especially used to detect food allergies .

• Imagine that your doctor suspects that you are allergic to milk. The doctor then tells you to completely stop eating milk and all dairy products (like yogurt, cheese, ice cream) for about two weeks.
• If your allergy symptoms subside during this time, then under the supervision of a doctor, you can give your baby a little milk again and see if the symptoms return.
• This is very important: Never try these tests at home without consulting a doctor, because sometimes the allergy can be severe and cause a dangerous reaction.

What if a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) occurs?

This is a very important thing that we all need to be aware of. Some allergic reactions are very dangerous, even life-threatening. We call this anaphylaxis . Here, the whole body reacts suddenly.

• Difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat
• Chest tightness, rapid heartbeat
• Vomiting, stomach ache
• Swelling of the face, lips, tongue
• Dizziness and loss of consciousness

If one or more of these symptoms appear suddenly, it is a medical emergency.

For people who are known to have severe allergies, the doctor prescribes a special injection. It is called an Epinephrine Auto-injector . It is also known as an `EpiPen`. It is essential for a person with severe allergies to keep this injection with them at all times. As soon as the symptoms of a severe allergy begin, they should inject themselves with this injection into the thigh. The doctor will teach you exactly how to use it.

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