Allergic asthma and its Diagnostic Tests
Allergic asthma is the most common type of asthma triggered by an allergen. An allergen is any substance that causes a hypersensitivity reaction. The common allergens are inhalant (dust, pollens, fungi, smoke, perfume, or odors of plastic), and sometimes they are food, drugs, infectious agents, physical agents, or through contact with certain things. The allergens do not affect everyone but only affect hypersensitive people to the allergens that trigger a response starting in the immune system.
It is essential to see a specialist who helps to find the various allergens through conducting various tests.
What is an allergy test?
Allergy test is some test helps to decide the allergens that cause a bout of asthma. However, asthma caused due to exercise, stress, illness, or cold is not ascertained in these tests.
Several tests were done to find out the allergen for asthma, including a skin test and blood test. Once identified, it helps manage the symptoms and avoid the allergens to prevent the bouts of asthma attacks.
Allergy Skin Test:
Allergy skin test: In an allergy skin test, the skin is exposed to the suspected allergen. After exposure to the allergen, the reaction is checked for signs of an allergic reaction. This test helps to determine the allergen, be it because of ingestion, touch, or inhalation.
An allergy skin test can be conducted for people of any age group, including infants to old adults.
The indications for allergy skin test are:
- Hay fever
- Allergic asthma
- Eczema/dermatitis
- Food allergy
- Penicillin allergy
- Bee poison allergy
- Rubber/latex allergy
There are few contradictions of allergy skin tests. These are:
- Having a severe allergic reaction
- Certain skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema in large areas of the body.
- Having medicines that can differ test results
Side effects of the test:
- Swollen red lips
- Itchy bumps, which can last for a couple of days.
- Skin prick test: It is the most common type of skin prick test. This test is a time-saving test where around forty allergens are tested in one go. Tiny drops of allergens are inserted just beneath the skin with the help of a lancet. If the recipient is allergic to the specific allergen, the area surrounding it will become red. This procedure is not at all painful.
- Intradermal test: This test is indicated when skin prick tests did not show the expected result. In this test, the doctor injects the allergen intra-dermally. This test is done in cases where the allergens are either drugs or allergies because of the environment. This is usually not suitable for allergies caused because of food or latex allergy. This test is mostly correct, but sometimes false-positive results are also reported.
- Patch test: This test uses an allergen to a patch that is left for forty-eight hours. If the skin appears red, irritated with itching, it indicates the chance of being allergic to the substance.
Allergic blood test:
An allergic blood test is suited for cases where allergic skin test cannot be done. This test is done either on blood or the immunosorbent assay. The test includes the following:
- ELISA or EIA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay): This test helps determine the allergen-specific antibody in the blood.
- RAST or Radio allegro-sorbent test: This test helps to find specific allergen related antibodies. This test is not used these days as ELISA gives more accurate results.
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