Diet and allergy testing

Assessment may include a detailed food and symptom history, a skin prick test or an allergy blood test. These tests look for sensitisation, which does not always prove that eating the food causes symptoms. A supervised oral food challenge may be considered when the diagnosis remains uncertain. Food intolerance and other conditions can cause digestive symptoms without the same immune response as food allergy.

Keep a diary recording the food, amount, time to symptoms, symptoms themselves and any treatment used. Do not deliberately eat a suspected trigger to test yourself, and do not remove many foods without nutritional advice. Bring details of medicines and previous reactions. If allergy is confirmed, learn label reading, avoidance, emergency planning and how to use prescribed rescue medicine.

Call emergency services immediately for trouble breathing, throat or tongue swelling, wheezing, collapse, severe dizziness or symptoms affecting several body systems after eating. These can indicate anaphylaxis. A milder reaction still deserves medical review if it recurs, spreads, or involves vomiting, widespread hives or breathing symptoms, particularly if you have asthma.

Ask which test fits your history, whether medicines could affect the result, and whether a supervised food challenge is appropriate. Clarify safe foods, nutritional substitutes, emergency warning signs and whether relatives or other allergic conditions change your plan.