Allergy tests

In allergology and immunology personalised diagnostics are essential to ensure effective treatment and prevent disease progression. Absolutely all allergic diseases are diagnosed differently and there is no such thing as a disease for which all allergy tests are suitable. Moreover, we are all different, so the same diseases affect everyone differently.

Allergic disease is a disorder of the immune system that can have four different mechanisms, and the clinical manifestations of all of them can be completely different. The most common type of allergic reaction is type I which includes allergic rhinitis, sneezing, rashes, swelling, anaphylaxis. In this case, allergic skin prick samples or blood tests are prescribed. But if an immune system disorder by other mechanisms leads to long-lasting skin rashes (contact dermatitis), liver damage, intestinal disorders, kidney problems, the diagnosis of their causes is based on completely different tests – skin patch samples and provocation tests. Blood tests or skin prick samples are not suitable for these reactions.

Allergy clinic Drauge offers instrumental and special allergy tests. One of the main diagnostic methods for allergic diseases is skin prick sampling. Our clinic offers standard allergic skin prick samples with permanent and seasonal inhaled allergens, as well as with key food allergens or a wide palette of food allergens, their components, spices. Skin patch samples with metals, standard chemical, cosmetic or presumed allergens are also performed here. Spirometry, pulse oximetry and, if necessary, bronchodilator sampling is used to assess lung function. After consultation with an allergist-clinical immunologist, rhinomanometry, a test that helps to diagnose allergic rhinitis, can be prescribed in the presence of indications.

Allergic diagnostics also include nasal provocation samples with a single allergen, a test for the cause of hives caused by physical factors, the modern Temp Test for the diagnosis of urticaria caused by cold, and an innovative test for the integrity of the skin’s protective barrier functions in atopic/sensitive skin.

Each allergen has its own proteins. A particular protein or group of proteins causes allergic disease. To identify the allergy trigger, the first step is to carry out tests. A person may be allergic to only some components of an allergen. Molecular allergen diagnostics not only identifies the allergen itself (e.g., a dog), but also helps to find out exactly which protein – whether in the dog’s saliva, urine, or skin cells – is aggressive to a particular person.

Molecular allergen testing, which provides a detailed picture of a patient’s sensitisation to the molecular components of allergens, makes it possible to select highly precise and effective immunotherapy treatments.

It is important to know that testing alone is not enough to accurately diagnose allergic disease. The diagnosis is made by summarising the results of the tests, your complaints and the information gathered during the consultation. We take a holistic approach to human health – allergic diseases are not seen as isolated, but as closely linked to the overall health of the whole body. Once the results of the tests are available, the allergist-clinical immunologist will discuss everything with you in detail, prescribe an individual treatment and make useful recommendations to help you improve your quality of life.