Blood Testing for Allergies
Accurate and reliable allergy blood testing can reveal what triggers your allergy symptoms and help to create a custom plan for managing your allergy symptoms.
A blood test, also called a specific IgE test, is a powerful allergy diagnostic tool that measures the concentration of specific IgE antibodies in the blood. It can test for hundreds of allergic triggers, such as pollen, mold, food, and animal dander.
Any detectable level of specific IgE indicates a sensitization to a specific allergen. Even a low level of sensitization may be significant if it is associated with symptoms when you are exposed to the specific allergen. The reverse may also be true. You may be sensitized to an allergen at any level. But if you don’t have symptoms when exposed to the allergen, you are not clinically allergic.
The results of an allergy blood test, together with a detailed medical history and a physical examination, will help a healthcare provider develop a customized treatment plan for allergic symptoms.
Benefits of Blood Testing for Allergies
Types of Allergy Blood Tests
Whole Allergen Testing
Specific IgE testing for whole allergens is used to help confirm a suspected allergy, to determine the cause of reactions, or to rule out an allergy altogether.
Allergen Component Testing
Specific IgE testing for allergen components helps to identify the specific proteins that may cause reactions. So instead of just knowing that an individual is sensitized to peanuts, for example, a blood test can help pinpoint exactly which protein within the peanut may trigger a reaction.
Knowing the specific protein can help a healthcare provider determine if there may be a risk for a more severe systemic reaction or a mild, localized reaction.