It’s possible to have a food allergy without knowing what’s happening. That’s because the symptoms may range from mild to severe. If you find that you seem to feel a little odd from time to time or that you have trouble sleeping or feel weak for no apparent reason, it pays to call and set up an appointment at our office. You might be a prime candidate for food allergy testing. Here’s what can be done once you take that first step.
Understanding the Options for Testing
Food allergy testing can take on several forms. In fact, you may undergo more than one type of test in order to determine what’s going on. One of the more common approaches is known as the elimination test. With this approach, you avoid foods that are known to cause allergic reactions for a time. If your symptoms improve, that likely means you should continue avoiding those foods. Another approach is the oral challenge test. In this case, you receive small amounts of certain foods. If an adverse reaction occurs, then our specialist knows there’s an allergy present.
Skin tests, including a skin prick test, may also be employed. This provides a sample that can be tested under strict lab conditions. If there are any reactions caused by consuming certain foods recently, it will show up in the results. There are also blood tests designed to detect certain food allergies. Like other tests, the blood sample is processed and analyzed for any signs of an allergic reaction.
How Long Does It Take to Get the Results?
The time frame needed to get the test results will vary. Some may show some indications of a problem earlier but require more testing to confirm the results. Our doctor will help you understand how long it will take to get the results from each test.
How Will I Deal with Food Allergies?
Assuming the food allergy testing reveals you do have reactions to certain foods, the best course of action is to eliminate those foods from your diet. This may be more difficult than you may think. This is especially true if you rely on packaged foods for most of your meal preparation. In the long run, the food allergy testing and your response will help you live a healthier life. Maybe you will rely more on fresh foods as a way to control what you eat. Perhaps you need to make lifestyle changes in combination with taking advantage of treatments like oral immunotherapy in order to effectively address the issue.
Do you suspect that you have some type of adverse reaction to certain foods? The only way to know for sure is to undergo food allergy testing. Turn to our experts at Asthma Allergy Centre to get started. We have locations in Tigard, Beaverton, McMinnville, and Newberg. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
