Allergies

Allergies can develop at any point in one’s life. There are countless stories of people going years being able to be exposed to something without issue only to go on and develop allergies. It is one of the reasons it’s so important to stay on top of allergy testing. Our team at New York Medicine Doctors will perform these tests on you or a loved one, so you can see exactly what is safe and what isn’t.

Who Should Get An Allergy Test?

The first and most obvious group that should undergo allergy tests is children. If you are a parent and have not had your child tested yet, we highly recommend scheduling an appointment with our team. However, children are not the only ones who should do this. As previously stated, anybody can develop an allergy to a substance at any time. Realistically, anyone who believes they are or could be suffering through allergies should come in for a test.

How Do Allergy Tests Work?

There are a variety of different methods our team may implore to test for allergies. Traditional skin tests involve exposing areas of the skin to allergens and then waiting to see if a reaction takes hold. Additionally, blood tests work for patients who are at a high risk of suffering from a serious skin reaction. During blood tests, doctors check to see if the blood contains a high number of antibodies that fight an allergen. Finally, elimination diets help determine which foods are causing you problems. This process involves eliminating certain foods from your diet, seeing if reactions dwindle, then adding them back into consumption habits if the tests show they have not caused the issue.  

How To Prepare?

Preparing for your allergy tests is a relatively simple process. Depending on what type of test you undergo, you may be asked to do the below:

• Discuss your medical history and lifestyle with our doctor.
• Halt taking certain medications until after the test.