Are you getting sick on a regular basis? Do you seem to feel dizzy, nauseous, sick to your stomach, or otherwise unwell shortly after you eat? Are you unable to maintain a decent weight, and often find yourself losing weight for no reason except that you are sick after every meal? Perhaps you have a food allergy. There are many common food allergies that people have but do not realize that they have. Food allergies can range from mild to severe, and they can increase in severity the more that one is exposed to the food. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or your child is experiencing these symptoms, see a doctor and ask about getting a food allergy test.
What It Is
A food allergy test is an allergy test specifically designed to test for an allergic reaction to a food. A food allergy test will be done on either the arm or the back, depending on the size of the patient. Small children who need a food allergy test will most likely be tested on their back, while adults who need a food allergy test will most likely be tested on their forearm. This test is done with several to several dozen small pin pricks. After each pin prick, the allergen is placed inside the open wound. The allergen is so small that it will not affect the patient more than simply given the patient a small hive or reaction on the injection sight. To tell whether the food allergy test is positive, the test administrator will look for discoloration, raising of the skin in a hive like bump, other bumps, or any other reaction. This will mean that the patient is allergic to whatever that specific food allergy test was for.
What Do I Do Now?
Now that you have taken the food allergy test or had your child tested with a food allergy test, you may be wondering where to go from here. You or your child tested positive for something…so what do you do now? In years past, you would have been told to completely avoid the food in question. With certain foods or food products, it can be very difficult to completely avoid it. For example, those with a gluten allergy find it extremely difficult to have an interesting and varied diet at times. Gluten is found in a large percentage of foods, and it can be difficult to avoid. However, some doctors will recommend different treatments, based on the severity of the allergy, that do not necessarily completely exclude the food or food product. Talk to your doctor to see what will work best for you.