Testing
There are two main types of allergy testing, the first one is the skin test (also known as scratch test) this is most common for allergy testing. This is when a small amount of the allergen is pushed into the skin using a sharp piece of plastic. It sounds painful but it doesn't hurt, the only thing that does happen is when the skin reacts to the allergen it becomes very itchy. Usually there will be multiple pricks at a time to test for a larger amount of allergens at the same time. Below are pictures of the testing.
The second type of testing is by a blood test. At the doctors they will draw blood and they will test it for the allergens. This is the more accurate test because there is the possibility that the allergens touch each other when they are pricked on the arm, or they react when the skin is just sensitive from being pricked instead of the actual allergen.
The second type of testing is by a blood test. At the doctors they will draw blood and they will test it for the allergens. This is the more accurate test because there is the possibility that the allergens touch each other when they are pricked on the arm, or they react when the skin is just sensitive from being pricked instead of the actual allergen.
Reactions
Everyone reacts differently when having an allergic reaction. The most known and severe is anaphylaxis. The symptoms of having an anaphylactic shock are life threatening. Some symptoms are an itchy rash, throat or tongue swelling, shortness of breath, vomiting, lightheadedness, and low blood pressure. Other types of reactions could cause hives, diarrhea, indigestion, nausea, or flatulence.