Allergy symptoms may be easy to identify. However, the tricky part is determining what the allergen is. Fortunately, you can schedule an appointment at Texas Regional Asthma and Allergy Center, serving Southlake, Roanoke, and Fort Worth, TX, and the nearby areas, with Dr. Rene Leon, Dr. Ali Shakouri, Dr. Ernesto Ruiz-Huidobro, and Dr. Madiha Huq for allergy testing. Let’s discuss its role in diagnosing allergies.

General Information

You might have started having allergy symptoms recently, or you may have had them for a while but are now wanting to receive care. It’s also possible that you just want to be prepared because you have a family history of allergies.

You may be able to tell you have allergies because you get the sniffles come spring, and they return in the fall. You might enter your friend’s home with cats and dogs and can’t stop itching your eyes. On the other hand, you may get diarrhea or feel nauseated randomly after you eat.

Purpose of Allergy Testing 

You can identify your allergies through testing in our office, serving Southlake, Roanoke, and Fort Worth, TX. This insight can help you avoid them or prepare so you can prevent the symptoms. For instance, if you know you’re allergic to cats and have an upcoming soirée at somebody’s house, you can take an allergy medication first.

Here are the tests we may provide:

Skin Prick Test

During this test, your practitioner will insert a needle into your back or forearm along with the allergen. Or, we can scratch the skin and apply an allergen. We’ll then wait about 15 minutes or so and then will evaluate the area to see if you have a rash, welts, or any other reaction. We can perform this test to check for food and airborne allergens. We can even test for a penicillin allergy.

Patch Test

The patch test is specifically for contact dermatitis. For this, we place a patch on the skin with the allergen on it. In 48 to 96 hours, you’ll need to come back to our office to have it read.

Oral Challenge Test

An oral challenge test consists of swallowing a small amount of a potential allergen. We then monitor you for a reaction and will respond if needed.

Other 

We may use an intradermal skin test or a blood (IgE) test.

Texas Regional Asthma and Allergy Center, serving Southlake, Roanoke, and Fort Worth, TX, and the surrounding regions, is home to Dr. Leon, Dr. Shakouri, Dr. Ruiz-Huidobro, and Dr. Huq, who can provide allergy testing and management services.