Food allergy examinations and tests you should know

Food allergy is a condition in which the immune system mistakenly thinks a substance in food is a dangerous substance. Because the symptoms you experience can vary from person to person, tests are needed to confirm that you have a specific food allergy. What are they?

Examinations and tests to diagnose food allergies

Indeed, diagnosing a food allergy is not as easy as diagnosing other diseases. Why, as already mentioned, the symptoms of a food allergy can vary from person to person. You also don't always feel the same symptoms every time you experience a reaction.

Food allergic reactions do not only affect one particular part of the body. The effect can be felt on the skin, respiratory tract, digestive tract, to the cardiovascular system. Most food allergies are seen from childhood, but some people may develop allergies at different ages.

Despite these facts, you should still consult your doctor immediately if you think you may have allergies. The doctor will provide treatment and tell you various information about allergy control according to the cause.

Before doing various tests, you must first do a physical exam. Sometimes allergic reactions can appear more slowly, so people do not know which foods trigger allergies.

During a physical examination, the doctor may ask questions about the symptoms you feel, such as what kind of reaction you have, how long the reaction occurs after consuming food, how much is consumed, how often you experience reactions, and whether a reaction occurs every time you eat certain foods.

The doctor also asks you and your family's medical history to find out any other allergies or possible inherited allergies, as well as your daily diet.

However, the history given from the patient alone is not a definite measure and is often difficult to interpret. Therefore, you must undergo additional tests if it is suspected that you have allergies. The following are allergy tests that may be done to confirm any allergies to certain foods.

1. Oral allergen exposure test

In this test, the doctor will give you a food that is suspected to be causing allergies in small amounts. Food can also be given in capsule form. Later, the amount given will increase. During this time the doctor watches to see if any allergic reactions arise.

If no allergic reactions occur during this test, the food is safe and you can still consume it in your daily menu.

2. Skin test

Allergy skin tests are also often undertaken by patients to determine a diagnosis of food allergies. In this test, the doctor will place a small amount of extract from food allergens on the skin of the back or forearm. After that, the skin is pricked with a needle so that the substances from the food enter under the skin.

You are likely to have an allergy to the substance being treated if you have a lump or itching around the area that was punctured. However, the presence of a reaction is not enough to actually confirm a food allergy.

3. Blood test

Blood tests aim to determine the response of your immune system to certain foods by checking for immunoglobulin E antibodies present in the blood. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is an antibody that is produced by the body when exposed to an allergen which will cause reactions in the form of allergic symptoms such as hives or abdominal pain.

During the examination, the doctor will take a blood sample from a vein in the arm using a small needle. The blood drawn is collected into a test tube or bottle. This test will only take approximately five minutes.

4. Elimination diet

Unlike other tests, the elimination diet will take longer because it involves your daily diet. On this diet, you must eliminate some food groups that are suspected of causing allergies for two to six weeks.

For example, you should eliminate foods containing eggs, milk, and meat from your diet. This means that you are only allowed to eat foods that do not contain these ingredients. After a few weeks, you can start eating any of the food groups that were eliminated.

Consumption must also be gradual and start from small portions. If no reaction appears, then you can go back to eating these food ingredients. It's different if symptoms come back, chances are you have an allergy or you could have an intolerance.

An elimination diet is a very strict diet because it removes most of the nutrients your body needs. That is why you are not advised to try this diet on your own without discussing it with your doctor or nutritionist.

Things to know before undergoing a food allergy test

You don't need to make special preparations before undergoing a food allergy test. However, there are a few things you should know about the tests to be performed.

Testing is not without risks. In an oral allergen exposure test, for example, you may experience a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). The skin prick test can also cause irritation or itching. Therefore, the tests should be carried out under close supervision by a doctor or specialist.

While blood tests often do not pose a risk, you may feel a stinging sensation when the needle exits or enters. Some people also experience bruises where the needle is inserted, fortunately these symptoms can disappear quickly. Usually, people who have a skin rash are advised to have a blood test.

Both blood tests and skin prick tests can show the presence of IgE arising from certain foods. However, the results of the blood test will take longer than the skin prick test.

You also need to know, the tests that are carried out cannot predict how severe your allergies are. The test will only reveal a possible food allergy.

In fact, about 50-60% of the tests performed produce the results "false positiveOr false positives. This means that the test could come back positive even if you are not actually allergic to the food being tested.

This can happen for two reasons. First, the test shows a response to undigested protein. It is possible that food entering the bloodstream is not detected by the body's IgE. Second, the test may detect a similar protein but not trigger an allergic reaction.

However, if your history shows that you have had several reactions after eating a certain food group plus positive reactions, it is likely that you do have an allergy to that food.

It could be said that in determining a diagnosis for food allergies, your medical record has an important role. That's why you have to really pay attention and remember the symptoms that appear after eating food.

If necessary, record the various symptoms you feel and when they occur. These notes will help you provide a more accurate report when you undergo a physical exam with your doctor.