Allergy Skin Testing Vs Allergy Blood Testing
Deciding which type of testing to have done to determine your allergies can be a difficult decision for some. Let’s take a look at why skin testing is the preferred method of testing at Atlantic Ear, Nose, and Throat.
Accuracy:
While some may be quick to assume that blood work is more accurate, this couldn’t be further from the truth in regard to allergy testing. With the blood test, the presence of an antibody protein called IgE is used to detect a positive allergy. This works well if the patient has been exposed to the allergen within a recent time period, allowing those antibodies to be present in the blood. However, if the patient has not been recently exposed to each of the items being tested for, the antibodies may not be present in the blood, resulting in a false negative. With skin testing, the body is individually exposed to each and every allergen, allowing a reaction to present itself almost immediately, ultimately providing a much more accurate reading.
Time:
As with any blood work, it takes time to receive the results. In a best case scenario, the lab will send the results to the patient’s doctor’s office within 2-3 days. After the office receives the results, the patient will need to come in for a follow-up visit to discuss the results with the ordering physician as these labs are usually not discussed over the phone. Skin testing, however, is done in the office and the results are immediate. Within the time it takes to complete the test, the patient will have all results before leaving the office. This allows for less visits and more efficient care for the patient, often jump-starting a treatment plan to get them feeling better sooner.
Expense:
Skin testing is much more affordable in comparison to having lab work done! Allergy blood work can be very expensive, depending on the patient’s insurance and the amount of items being tested for.
At Atlantic Ear, Nose & Throat, skin testing is always the preferred method for diagnosing allergies. While blood testing is certainly an available option for those that cannot have skin testing done for specific reasons, we always urge the patient to have the testing done in-office whenever possible!
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I like how you point out that skin testing is a lot more affordable. My son keeps on getting hives, but we don’t know what it comes from. It seems like it’d be a good idea for me to find someone who could do the skin allergy testing to him so that we’ll know what the problem is.
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ReplyI liked what you said about the skin test being an immediate and more accurate for of testing. We have discovered that our oldest has some allergies to pollen, but we don’t know if there are any food allergies that we should know about as well. I think that we might need to test this out soon, just so that we can be sure that we don’t get any surprises.
ReplyThank you for pointing out that skin testing can be faster than blood testing. My husband and I are wanting to have our daughter tested for allergies and would love to get it done as quickly as possible. I’ll have to look into clinics in the area that can help us get this done.
ReplyI appreciate it when you said that skin allergy testing is better because it will not show a false negative and the reaction that the body will have is quick and real. If that is the case, then I will go for this one when I get myself tested. That seems a lot quicker anyway. I just want to be sure that the ones the test say I am allergic to is true so that I will know the things that I need to avoid for my trip next month.
Replyi like this article about Allergy Skin Testing Vs Allergy Blood Testing, thanks for sharing this valuable info
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