It’s important to know what you may be allergic to in order to know what you need to avoid or what could be making you feel bad in certain seasons. Dr. Christine Gilliam at Everyone’s ENT and Sinus Center in San Antonio, TX, can help you find out what you may be allergic to through allergy testing.

How Allergy Testing Can Help You

Your allergist in San Antonio, TX, will probably recommend that you get tested for allergies if you exhibit symptoms after being exposed to certain elements. Some common symptoms you may notice are:

• Itchy skin
• Itchy eyes, nose, or throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Coughing
• Chest congestion
• Cramping, diarrhea, or vomiting after ingesting certain foods
• Severe reaction to an insect bite or sting

If you notice any of these symptoms, it may be time to visit your allergist to get allergy testing and make life more comfortable by being able to avoid allergic reactions. Depending on what your symptoms are, there are different types of allergy tests that your doctor will perform. Types of tests include:

• Skin Test- Your doctor will inject a small amount of an allergen into your skin. You will then wait at least twenty minutes to see if there is a reaction. From there, your doctor can write down which allergens your skin reacted to and what you’re allergic to.
• Challenge Test- Your doctor will have you inhale or eat a small amount of a specific allergen. This will help your allergist determine what foods or medications you may be allergic to.
• Blood Test- Your doctor will take a blood sample and have it sent to the laboratory and will take a little more time than the other tests. This test is used specifically if you may have a skin condition that would interfere with the skin test.

Contact Your Doctor Today!

Make your life more comfortable by making sure that you contact your allergist to get an allergy test today! Contact Dr. Gilliam at Everyone’s ENT and Sinus Center in San Antonio, TX, at (210) 647-3838.