Allergy Specialist Vienna, VA
When you believe you are having allergy problems, you should seek help from a Vienna, VA allergy specialist from Black & Kletz Allergy. A majority of allergens can cause discomfort, but are overall harmless in that they won’t be life-threatening. Allergy skin tests are the most common type of test used to identify allergens like dust mites and pollen. Sometimes, these tests are not an option and an allergist will recommend a blood test instead. If you are concerned about any of the tests, speak with an allergy specialist Vienna, VA residents trust today.
What is Allergy Blood Testing?
An allergy develops when your immune system produces immunoglobulin E antibodies that are specific to a potential allergen after you’ve been exposed to it. Once this happens, the next time you come into contact with the allergen, you will likely have a reaction. An allergy blood test looks for the presence of these antibodies to diagnose you with the allergy.
When you have an allergy blood test, you allergist or a nurse will draw your blood. This will be sent to a lab and tested for the antibodies associated with a number of allergens. The tests are very specific. For example, an allergy to an egg white will be different from an allergy to an egg yolk. Most likely your allergist will conduct a broad range of tests on the single sample of blood.
If your blood tests are positive, you are 98 – 99.9% allergic to the substance. However, if the results are negative, your allergist may order further testing because false negatives are possible.
When Allergy Blood Tests Should Be Done
An allergy specialist in Vienna, Virginia may recommend allergy testing if you show symptoms, such as:
- Chronic hives
- Skin rashes
- Itching skin
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
- Itchy nose
- Itchy throat
- You had an extreme reaction to an insect sting
- You had an extreme reaction to something
- You suffer from abdominal pain and diarrhea after consuming certain food
In general blood tests are only ordered when a skin test should not, or cannot, be administered. The reason for this is that blood testing for allergies is considered to be more invasive, and it is very expensive. Furthermore, it can take several days to get the results; whereas, skin tests take about 30 minutes.
There are people who should have a blood test in replacement of, or along with, a skin test:
- People who must take certain medications that could interfere with a skin test.
- People who have certain skin conditions, such as psoriasis or eczema.
- People who could be at high risk for an adverse reaction.
Blood testing for allergies carries no risk of any allergic reaction; however, there could be slight pain or bleeding around the area of the blood being drawn. As soon as you know the results of your allergy blood test, your Vienna, VA allergy specialist can suggest a treatment plan suited to your needs. This could include counseling on how to avoid the allergen, medication, or immunotherapy.
To schedule an allergy test with a certified allergy specialist Vienna, VA residents trust from Black & Kletz Allergy, call our office now.