What should you know about allergy testing?

A clinician may use a skin prick test, an allergy blood test, or another focused assessment. These tests look for signs of sensitisation to substances such as foods, pollens, dust mites, or animal allergens. Sensitisation does not always mean that exposure causes symptoms, so the result is only one part of the diagnosis.

Your history helps connect a possible trigger with timing, symptoms, amount of exposure, and repeat episodes. Testing may help assess conditions such as Food Allergy, Allergic Rhinitis, or Pet Allergy, but broad panels can create confusing results when they are not guided by a clear question.

Tell the clinic about medicines, previous reactions, skin conditions, pregnancy, and any severe allergy episode. Some medicines can affect a skin test, so only change them if the clinician gives you a safe plan. Bring a record of foods, environments, symptoms, and timing if a pattern is suspected.

After testing, discuss which exposures to avoid, whether an action plan is needed, and how to prevent unnecessary food restriction. Depending on your symptoms, your clinician may also consider links with Asthma or Allergic Conjunctivitis.

Seek emergency help immediately for trouble breathing, throat or tongue swelling, faintness, confusion, or rapidly spreading symptoms after an exposure. These can be signs of Anaphylaxis. Do not wait for an allergy appointment to assess a rapidly worsening reaction.

Which trigger are we testing for, and how will the result change my care? Could my medicines affect the test? What should I do if symptoms return before the follow-up?