Blood test Vs. Skin Allergy Test To Detect Allergies

[New Freedom Family Medicine LLC]

We are at the peak of allergy season, and there are allergens everywhere. Your symptoms might worsen during this time of the year. They might even get bad to the point that you need to visit a doctor or an allergy specialist.

The allergy specialists may use allergy testing immediately to see what has ticked off your allergies.

Allergy tests help them determine the food or any environmental factors to which a patient's body has reacted. Mostly, allergy specialists may use a skin allergy test or blood test to diagnose the allergic reaction.

But, many patients wonder which one of the tests is better and why.

Let's understand a skin allergy test and blood test better.

Skin Test For Allergies

1.Procedure

A skin allergy test Ofallon, MO, and globally may be of various types, such as skin prick testing, intradermal testing, and skin patch testing.

Skin Prick Tests: Mostly suitable for diagnosing airborne allergens(pollen, mold spores, and food allergens. The allergen is scratched into the back or forearm. If the result is positive, the patient might experience itching, redness, or wheals (raised patches). It usually takes 15 minutes to see the result.

Intradermal Testing: The only difference between a skin prick test and the intradermal test is that the allergen is injected into the epidermis rather than scratching it on the skin surface. It tests allergies due to venom, penicillin, or medication reactions.

Patch Testing: The allergen is placed as a patch on the skin for 48 hours. The doctor checks the patch after 72-96 hours for reaction signs.

2. Safety

A typical skin allergy test Washington is pretty safe and effective in diagnosing allergies. Patients might develop a slight reaction for some time, but usually, it goes away in a few hours or, in some cases, days.

3. Cost

A Skin Allergy Test Washington is quite affordable and is covered by most insurance plans.

4.Accuracy

A skin allergy test will rarely show false positives. Skin prick tests may deliver false positives about 50-60% of the time, leading to follow-up tests.

You can also read this article: How Long Does It Take To Perform An Allergy Skin Testing?

Blood Test For Allergies

Blood tests involve finding an antibody named immunoglobulin(IgE) in the patient's body. Our body produces this antibody when it comes in contact with a trigger. Blood tests are also known as RAST or ImmunoCap tests.

Procedure

Blood drawn using a needle and syringe is sent to a lab for analysis. Lab analysts add allergens to the blood sample to check for IgE levels.

Safety

Blood tests are highly safe and effective. There are fewer risks of reactions such as infections from the needle.

Cost

It costs $5-$20 per specific allergen tested. You can cover the cost of a blood test with insurance.

Accuracy

IgE testing has a false positive rate of around 50-60%, similar to skin prick allergy testing.

Closing Words-

Sometimes a doctor may need to perform more than one test to arrive at a proper diagnosis. New Freedom Family Medicine(NFFM) excels with 100% accuracy in every skin allergy test Washington.

Experience our services today.