When is allergy testing recommended for asthma?

Asthma can be affected by allergens, infections, exercise, smoke, weather, and other factors. A clinician reviews wheeze, cough, chest tightness, where symptoms occur, and how quickly they follow contact with dust, pets, mould, or pollen. Skin or blood testing can identify sensitisation to selected allergens. It does not measure asthma severity and cannot by itself prove that one exposure caused every episode.

Keep an asthma diary noting symptoms, reliever use, sleep disruption, activity, surroundings, and possible exposures. Bring inhalers and all medicines to the appointment and continue prescribed asthma treatment unless your clinician gives different instructions. Ask which test is appropriate and how its result would alter your trigger plan. Do not stop controller treatment to make symptoms appear.

Follow your asthma action plan for worsening symptoms. Seek emergency help for severe breathlessness, difficulty speaking, blue or grey lips, exhaustion, confusion, or little improvement after the prescribed reliever. Allergy testing is not a substitute for urgent asthma treatment.

Ask whether your asthma pattern suggests an allergic component, which exposures are worth testing, how to reduce contact safely, and how results fit with inhaler treatment and monitoring.