Allergies are one of the most widespread common diseases. In order to prevent an escalation with a chronic course, early detection as part of allergy diagnostics is necessary. Many people suffer from allergies to various stimuli and substances. By means of allergy diagnostics, the doctor identifies the cause and can initiate treatment.
This article provides important information on allergies and their diagnosis. You can also find selected specialists for allergy diagnostics here.
Allergy diagnostics includes all procedures aimed at determining the cause of allergic symptoms.
The spectrum of allergology includes, for example
Based on the allergy diagnosis, professional treatment follows, which helps those affected to improve their quality of life.
The allergist is thepoint of contact for the diagnosis and subsequent initiation of the necessary therapeutic steps. Ideally, your family doctor will already have this type of specialist training. Some
also have a corresponding additional qualification.
Typical allergy symptoms that require consultation with your doctor as soon as possible are
A variety of different substances can be the trigger. Basically, an allergy is always a defensive reaction of the body's own immune system. It reacts to contact with incompatible, usually harmless substances. The organism classifies these as dangerous and reacts with mild to life-threatening symptoms, depending on their severity.
Children in particular need to act quickly. The risk of chronic progression, especially the development of asthma, is particularly high in them. This also applies to the risk of the symptoms spreading from one allergy to a variety of allergic symptoms.
In addition, children are particularly susceptible to allergies due to their still weak immune system. This applies above all to food allergies. In the majority of cases, however, these allergies disappear in adulthood.
Common risk factors or even causes of an allergy are
Accordingly, children whose parents suffer from allergies are particularly at risk. People who come into contact with potential allergens regularly and/or over a long period of time are also prone to developing an allergy.
The concept of sensitization or "hardening" appears to play an equal role in susceptibility to allergies. Studies show that urban children are more likely to develop allergies compared to rural children.
The number of patients suffering from a pollen allergy, for example, is increasing dramatically. This is attributed to changes in climate and environmental conditions.
The basis of allergy diagnostics is the medical history interview with the doctor, in which you describe your symptoms or those of your child. The doctor will also ask you questions about your medical history. Among other things, comparable symptoms in family members will also be taken into account.
If the doctor suspects an allergy, the relevant diagnostic procedures will follow. You can read about these here.
In the prick test, a small amount of the suspected substance is inserted into the skin using a lancet.
An all-round test is particularly common. The doctor then tests not just for one substance, but for several common allergens, such as
Molecularly produced solutions mixed with different allergens are used for this purpose.
This is followed by a waiting period of 15 to 20 minutes. This is how long it takes before a reaction to the allergens can be expected.
The prick test is a simple method of allergy diagnostics to diagnose allergies to various substances © Alexander Raths | AdobeStock
If the skin reddens or jellyfish form at the injection site during this time, the result is positive. This means that you actually suffer from an allergy to one or more of the substances tested.
This test is used to clarify suspected contact allergies to certain
For this purpose, the respective substances are fixed to the upper back with a plaster.
The first reading of the result is taken after 48 hours, the second after a further 24 hours.
This procedure, also known as CAST ("Cellular Antigen Stimulation Test"), is a complementary method to
The immediate test is primarily used to clarify intolerances to
The doctor also uses it to check for pseudo-allergies to chemical substances such as X-ray contrast agents, lectins etc..
The special target group includes small children and people who are suspected of having an intolerance to medication.
An alternative to this procedure is the blood test, which checks for the presence of IgE antibodies.
The so-called RAST test is carried out in the laboratory. It provides information about the presence of antibodies in the blood, which in turn refer to specific allergens.
The result of the test shows whether your immune system has already developed antibodies against the respective allergen as a result of previous contact.
The result of the allergy diagnostics will determine the therapeutic steps to be taken.
If an allergy is present, specific immunotherapy, or SIT for short, is often used. It is intended to strengthen the immune system so that it can better tolerate specific allergens in future.
The focus here is on the substances that the diagnosis has identified as the cause of the allergic reaction. The chances of success of this treatment method are rated as "very good".
As a preventative measure, experts recommend a general strengthening of the immune system through an overall healthy lifestyle.
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