The Importance of Routine Allergy Testing for Asthma Sufferers
Asthma sufferers are likely to have had allergy testing done before. The lack of a positive result doesn’t rule out the chance that your allergies are to blame for your issues, though. The truth is that some asthma sufferers have food allergies or sensitivities that can cause inflammation in the airways and make their symptoms worse. If this is the case, an allergy test can help your doctor figure out what’s going on and how to treat it.
Approximately one in every five kids and 1 in 13 adults suffer from food allergies, with children experiencing more severe symptoms, according to some research. Atop the list of common allergens include eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and soy. Some people with food allergies only experience moderate itching, while others get life-threatening throat swelling. Malnutrition can occur in people with untreated food allergies because they avoid eating foods that provide essential nutrients. One study in Britain, for example, found that the prevalence of people with a new food allergy between the ages of 20 and 44 years old increased from 0.3% to 2.1% over a 10-year period, while adults between 45 and 65 experienced an increase from 0.6% to 3%.
If your child suffers from asthma, it can be difficult to know whether their breathing problems are caused by an allergy or an intolerance. Getting a correct diagnosis is the first step toward alleviating symptoms and living a better life. It is necessary to examine everyone who shows signs of asthma, but also to treat each case separately. Watery eyes, itchy skin or nose, sneezing, swollen or congested nose or sinuses, coughing or wheezing, and exhaustion are some of the most typical symptoms of allergies, though they manifest differently in different people. Consult your allergist about whether you need allergy testing and, if so, when you should get tested. Allergy testing includes skin tests, blood tests, and serum tests. Traditional allergy tests typically include minute quantities of the allergen, such as cat hair or dog dander. People with allergies would be well served to determine which allergens trigger their reactions so they can avoid them or at least minimize their effects.
First, you’ll want to know what caused your allergies. Secondly, after the allergen is identified, the doctor will help you find a way to manage them like, remove any trigger food from your diet. And lastly, your doctor can prescribe medications to treat any asthma symptoms that might be exacerbated by an allergic reaction. If you have allergy-induced asthma, you and your doctor should talk about the results of your allergy testing to come up with a treatment plan that works for you.