The Road to Allergy Relief Begins at Indianapolis Sinus Center
Over 50 million people live with chronic allergies in the United States. Allergy symptoms can make life feel miserable at times. However, you don’t have to suffer in silence. Indianapolis Sinus Center provides allergy testing in the Indianapolis area for patients of all ages. The road to allergy relief begins with a comprehensive evaluation and personalized allergy treatment plan. We’ll examine your medical history and run some diagnostics to pinpoint what triggers your symptoms. If you or a loved one has chronic or severe allergy symptoms, contact our clinic today to schedule an appointment for allergy testing.
What Are Allergies? What Are Some Common Allergens?
Allergies are your body’s immune system response to specific substances that trigger an overreaction. Normally, your body produces allergic antibodies to protect you from harmful substances, releasing chemicals such ashistamine into your bloodstream. While most common allergens are not usually dangerous, the allergy symptoms triggered by the overreaction can become problematic. Themost common allergy symptoms include sneezing, congestion, hives, swelling, itchy or watery eyes, vomiting, scratchy throat, and difficulty breathing. Allergy symptoms could range from a skin reaction to respiratory, abdominal, oranaphylactic (life-threatening), depending on the severity of your allergy.
Common allergens that produce uncomfortable symptoms when inhaled, touched, or eaten by the person with the allergy include dust, pollen, mold, animal dander, and specific foods. The most common food allergies include peanuts, dairy products, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, and tree nuts. People canalso be allergic to specific antibiotics and medicines, household cleaning product chemicals, wool, tobacco smoke, and insect bites or stings. Because numerous things could trigger an allergy, allergy testing can take a while to identify the specific allergens causing your allergy symptoms.
What Are Allergies? What Are Some Common Allergens?
Allergy testing is used to diagnose which allergens are triggering a person’s allergy symptoms. A trained allergist-immunologist will usually conduct an allergen skin test that is safe and effective for patients of all ages. It’s vital to undergo allergy testing to identify which allergens are causing your symptoms so that allergy relief or better management of your symptoms is possible. Your body could eventually develop a tolerance or immunity to these specific allergens with treatment.
What Allergy Tests Are Available? How Should I Prepare?
Allergy testing can vary, but the most common allergy tests include blood and skin tests. During a blood test, blood is drawn and examined for allergic antibodies in the bloodstream. However, skin tests are used more often for allergy testing. We will insert a tiny amount of an allergen extract through a small puncture in the skin using a plastic applicator during a skin test involving the prick technique. We will inject a tiny amount of allergen extract under the skin using a small syringe during a skin test involving the intradermal technique. All allergen extracts are standardized and commercially manufactured by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for your safety. Prior to your appointment, your doctor should ask you to stop taking specific medications, such as antihistamines, which could interfere with your allergy test results.