To provide science-based products and services to elevate, enhance and expedite your practice growth revenue, and reputation to the highest level possible through superior patient care in the field of allergy relief.
Patients over the age of three may be tested and treated. Those younger than three typically haven’t been exposed to enough allergens to make testing and treatment worthwhile. There is no upper age limit for this program, however, if you are elderly, you should discuss with your doctor the risks vs. benefits of treatment.
Patients who are pregnant should postpone testing and treatment. If you become pregnant after starting immunotherapy and have reached maintenance stage, you may safely continue treatment.
For patients with autoimmune disorders, testing may result in adverse effects. Please notify your doctor or staff if this applies to you and they can discuss your options.
Patients with unstable asthma are at increased risk for anaphylaxis and treatment is discouraged. You may be tested as long as you are not in an asthmatic event at the time of the test. Likewise, patients susceptible to or with a
history of anaphylaxis should be blood tested. Please be certain to tell your doctor if you have either of these conditions.
There is little you need to do prior to testing other than signing a consent form. It is best to wear a top that will provide easy access to your upper and lower arm. A tank top is ideal if possible.
You may continue to use intranasal allergy sprays such as Flonase, Nasonex, etc. You may also use your asthma inhaler as needed.
Please do not exercise for two hours prior to testing and we recommend you wait two hours after testing before resuming strenuous activities.
You may not take any medication containing antihistamines 48 hours prior to testing. If you are on a beta-blocker, blood testing is recommended.
If you arrive the day of your test and have taken anything in error, please notify you doctor prior to testing so that they can re-schedule.
Testing consists of superficially “scratching” your skin with low-level doses of antigens to determine the severity of your allergies. That is done by measuring the wheel, flare and redness of the site of each allergic response. Allergic reactions will present as something like a mosquito bite with a red circle.
In addition to testing you for allergens we will utilize two control substances to ensure test accuracy. Histamine, which typically causes a skin reaction and Glycerin. Histamines should cause a skin reaction and Glycerin should not (all allergens are glycerin based). A positive for Histamine and a negative for Glycerin indicates valid testing results.
You will be tested for several families of allergens including foods, animal dander, trees, weeds, grasses, molds, and dust mites. The test takes approximately 30, 15 minutes of which are waiting as your body responds. You may feel an itching or burning sensation but it extremely important that you do not scratch the tested area as this could void the test. After testing is completed and the results are recorded, staff will wipe down your arm with alcohol and apply anti-itch cream if necessary. Most patients will experience a gradual decrease of discomfort and a full cessation in 30-60 minutes. On rare occasion, swelling may reoccur 4-8 hours after testing. This is not a serious issue. Apply anti-itch cream or a cold compress and symptoms will diminish over the coming week. Should this occur, please measure the swelling, and report this to your doctor on your next visit. Although a very, very rare occurrence, some patients may experience a severe, immediate reaction. Staff will assist you in the event this happens. Should you develop a severe reaction in the days that follow, please notify your doctor immediately.
The wonderful thing about allergy skin testing is that staff will review the results together with you before you leave the office! Your doctor will provide you with a list of the allergens you tested positively for (if any) and during this same visit, can discuss treatment options!
The road to relief from your allergies symptoms can start as soon as you are tested!
Please click here for a physician referral for help with your allergies.
Locate A ProviderWe guarantee our physician allergy services can provide all the testing and treatment products you need at an overall cost per patient that is less than a self-managed program.
To provide science-based products and services to elevate, enhance and expedite your practice growth revenue, and reputation to the highest level possible through superior patient care in the field of allergy relief.