Food Allergy Test

Food is very important in our daily life. It is the source of energy and nutrients, that help with our day to day activities and keep us healthy. We require food for proper growth and development, to stay active. Not just physical activities, food contributes to our mental health as well. The nutrients we get from our food are essential for our thinking and learning process. As much as it is important to include healthy foods in our daily diet, we must also know about the foods that suit us completely. We often hear about instances where a particular food has caused an adverse reaction to an individual. That’s why it is important to know which food suits us and which does not. The best way to learn about this is byundergoing a food allergy test.

Food allergy is basically a medical condition, where an individual can experience certain abnormal reactions after eating one or more particular types of food. It is an immune system reaction that occurs soon after eating any particular food. Even a tiny amount of that food can trouble you by causing digestive problems, skin rashes or even itchy eyes. In the case of food allergy, our body mistakes harmless foods as something that can make us sick. Our immune system keeps us healthy by identifying and fighting off germs that can make us unwell by causing dangers to our health. A food allergy reaction happens when our immune system reacts in the same way but this time to harmless food or anya substance in a food, because it identifies that as a potential threat to our health.

The food allergy reactions can vary from mild to severe and it can even become life-threatening in certain cases. Food allergy test helps to find out whether an individual has an allergy to a specific food. Food allergy test is also useful to find out whether it is a true allergy or sensitivity towards any food, which is known as a food sensitivity or food intolerance. The result helps us to know which food items we must avoid preventing allergic reactions. Food allergy test is a combination of a blood test, skin prick test and a few other tests. Let's talk about some of the most common forms of food allergy test.

Blood Test – A blood test, which is conducted as a food allergy test helps to measure the immune system’s response to certain foods by measuring the allergy-related antibody. This antibody is known as immunoglobulin E or IgE. For this test, a small amount of blood will be collected and send to a laboratory. Next, that sample will be exposed to different types of foods. If a lot of IgE antibodies are released in reaction to a particular food and you also experience certain symptoms when you eat that food, it is a clear indication that you are allergic to that food. Normally, this test takes several days to get the result.

Skin Prick Test – This is the most common type of food allergy test, which is used to try and identify the specific foods that an individual might be allergic to. For this test, drops of different serums, which contain individual food allergens are put on the patient’s forearm or back of the arm. Then by using a small needle, the skin is pricked, so that a tiny amount of that substance can reach beneath your skin surface. Then the patient needs to wait for some time to see whether there is any allergic reaction. The skin may develop bumps or rashes at specific prick spots. This indicates that’s the IgE antibodies in the skin have responded to that particular food allergen in that serum and there is a possibility that you are allergic to that particular substance.

Oral Food Challenge – Sometimes, the blood test and skin prick test cannot give a clear picture of whether a person is truly allergic to certain foods. They can produce false positives and then we need to follow up with an additional test. Your healthcare provider might ask you to undergo oral food challenge if the former two tests don’t produce clear results. During an oral food challenge, an individual is given a small amount of food and the doctor checks for any reaction. If there is no reaction, then the amount of food is gradually increased. If still there is no reaction, the doctor rules out any chances of food allergy to that particular type of food. If there is a reaction, the testing is stopped immediately and the reaction is being treated. This oral food challenge is considered as the most reliable form of food allergy test.

Elimination Diet – Elimination diets are used to pinpoint particular foods that might be causing allergic reactions. This further helps to confirm the results of the skin prick test or blood test. During an elimination diet, the patient is asked to avoid certain foods for several weeks. Then they are asked to slowly add them back to the diet, one at a time. Each time a food is reintroduced, the patient is required to check for any allergic reactions, such as vomiting, skin rash, runny nose, diarrhoea, etc. When the foods are being reintroduced and the patient does not have any reaction to that, it indicates that he/she is not allergic to that particular food.

One of India’s most advanced diagnostic laboratory chain, Thyrocare Technologies Limited offers an attractive food allergy test package where a patient is being tested on 217 parameters, which include dairy products, meat, fishes, nuts, cereals, vegetables, fruits, spices, etc using a blood test. The package is very cost-effective as well.

Why get Tested for Food Allergy Test

Food allergy is serious. Symptoms of a food allergy can be mild as well as severe. Also, the initial reaction can be mild and later on it can turn into something serious. In fact, a food that has caused adverse reactions can show mild symptoms on one occasion and severe symptoms next time. Therefore, it is very important to undergo a food allergy test to have a clear idea of the foods that cause allergic reactions to an individual.

A food allergy reaction can happen within minutes after eating or it can even happen hours later. Some of the common symptoms of food allergy are vomiting, stomach cramps, repetitive cough, shortness of breath, trouble in swallowing, swelling of the tongue, weak pulse, skin turning pale or blue, dizziness, chest pain, uneven heartbeat, itchy mouth, runny nose, skin rash, etc. As you can see, some of these symptoms are mild, whereas, some of them are more serious and need immediate medical attention. However, the most dangerous food allergy reaction is called anaphylaxis. This is a life-threatening allergic reaction that can impair your breathing, cause a drastic drop in blood pressure and also affect the heart rate.

This reaction normally occurs within minutes of being exposed to the trigger food. It can be fatal and require immediate treatment. If you have asthma as well as food allergy, there is an increased risk of having anaphylaxis. To avoid this kind of medical emergencies, a food allergy test is important. Once you know which foods trigger allergic reactions in you, it makes you aware and you can cut them off your diet.

Food allergy is more common in children than in adults. Since the kids not always can describe what is happening, it becomes difficult to understand the severity of the symptoms. Also if the parents are not aware of their kid’s food allergy, they might mistake those symptoms as something else and can proceed with the wrong treatment. For example, a runny nose is a sign of food allergy. If your child is experiencing it and you don’t know about their food allergy, you might mistake those symptoms as a sign of cough and cold. You might give your child any common flu medication and naturally, it won’t be of any help.

Food allergy reactions in a child require immediate medical attention, but due to being unaware of the actual cause, the parents end up delaying the right treatment, which might put the child’s life in danger. Therefore, it is very important to undertake a food allergy test. If food allergy runs in family, your chance of developing the same is high. Instead of waiting for the symptoms to occur, it is better to get tested beforehand, so that you can have a clear picture of your health condition and know whether or not you have a food allergy.

Food allergy symptoms occur only after eating a certain type of foods. It is not possible to predict that. As we already discussed, the food allergy symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can be life-threatening as well. If you have ever noticed any of the symptoms of food allergy, no matter how mild it is, you must get tested for food allergy.

When to get Tested for Food Allergy Test

* If you have a family history of food allergy or any other types of allergy, such as asthma, eczema, etc, you are at a higher risk of developing a food allergy. Hence, you must undertake a food allergy test to know about the foods you must avoid.
* Children who suffered from eczema or atopic dermatitis earlier in life can develop food allergy later. Therefore, they must undergo a food allergy test to find out whether or not they have any allergic reactions to any particular food.
* According to researches, babies born by C-section, who were given antibiotics at birth or within the first year, and those who were introduced to food after 7 months of life, have higher risks of developing certain allergies, including food allergies.
* People who have already been diagnosed with one or more types of allergy should undertake the food allergy test to make sure if they have also developed an allergic reaction towards any food.
* Some of the common symptoms of food allergy are runny nose, vomiting, abdominal pain, burning eyes, skin rashes, red eyes, swollen lips etc. If you have noticed any of these symptoms occurring within you frequently, especially after eating a certain food, you must get yourself tested for food allergy, as soon as possible.

Preparation for Food Allergy Test

Any special preparations is not required for a Thyroid blood test. Fasting is not essential for thyroid test.

When you have a food allergy, the best way to avoid allergic reactions is by avoiding that particular food. You must always read the ingredients label of any packaged food to avoid being troubled with any symptoms later. But before everything else, you must undergo a food allergy test, because testing is the only way to know which foods you need to avoid. The symptoms of food allergy can be mild at times, but they can be severe and life-threatening as well. Therefore, opting for a food allergy test is a great way to escape all those sufferings and live a healthy life.