To date, one of the most common diseases is allergy. Timely contact with a doctor and taking an allergy test is the key to successful treatment. To determine the cause of the disease, it is necessary to undergo a survey in which an important component is the conduct of the test.
Skin tests for allergies
This procedure allows you to identify the source of an allergic reaction by evaluating the response of the body to the drugs administered. The time through which sensitivity is determined, for each allergen, is different. In some cases, the evaluation is made in twenty minutes, in others - after two days. After setting the skin tests for allergies, the patient is given a sheet with the marks on it opposite each allergen.
How are allergy tests done?
There are such methods of testing:
- Scarification method. Provides the performance of scratches on the skin. On the surface of the forearm or back, preparations are made in the form of droplets at a distance of two centimeters. Then, through each drop, small scratches are performed on the skin. The accuracy of the test is 85%.
- Applicative method. For such samples, a piece of gauze soaked in an allergen is applied to the unaffected areas of the body (abdomen, shoulders or back), covered with a film and fixed with a patch.
- Prik test. The introduction of a special solution into the thickness of the skin gives a more accurate result. However, such a procedure can lead to the development of inflammation.
Prepare for an allergy test
The doctor will tell you that you can not take any medications within 24 hours, and the procedure should be conducted no later than one month after the last manifestation of allergy symptoms .
Contraindications to the test are:
- treatment with hormones;
- pregnancy;
- heat;
- acute course of allergy;
- age over 60.