Clinical Testing and Evaluation 
During your visit you may require additional testing and to help diagnose, characterize and evaluate your condition. Those tests and a brief description are found below:
Skin prick testing: Skin prick testing (SPT) is usually used in the context of assessing environmental, food or drug allergy. For this procedure, no needles are used. Rather a small amount of the item in question (the antigen) is placed on a clear area of skin then lightly scratched. The site is then “read” or assessed 15-20 afterwards to assess positive reactions (akin to a mosquito bite or hive). Positive (histamine) a negative (saline) controls are placed as well. Multiple skin prick tests are often placed during a visit to assess allergy to multiple items in question. If you believe you will be undergoing skin prick testing please remain off medications such as antihistamines for at least 5-7 days prior to testing.
For a complete list of drugs to avoid please click here.
Intradermal Skin testing: Intradermal skin testing is used most commonly in our office to assess drug allergy evaluations. It is used infrequently in environmental allergy assessments and never in food allergy evaluations. This procedure usually follows negative skin prick testing in a select patient group. This testing is comparable to a PPD or TB test where a small needle is inserted superficially into the skin and a small amount of the antigen in instilled (less than 1/3 of a milliliter) creating a small bubble. This site is then “read “or assessed 15-20 minutes later for positive or negative reaction. Multiple intradermal tests can be placed during a visit to assess allergy to multiple items in question. If you believe you will be undergoing skin prick testing please remain off medications such as antihistamines for at least 5-7 days prior to testing. For examples of drugs to avoid please click here. For questions please call the office.
Food challenge: In appropriate patients food challenges are used. Please allow 4-5 hours in clinic for a complete food challenge. In a clinically supervised setting, a patient is given increasing amounts of the food in question at regular intervals (usually 10-20minute intervals) until a normal serving size is consumed. During the challenge, the patient is assessed at regular intervals. Vitals such as pulse and respirations are also checked. Once this has been achieved, the patient is still observed in the clinic for one hour afterwards to ensure that there is not an adverse reaction. The item in question should be avoided for an additional 24 hours after completion of the food challenge to ensure that there is delayed reaction. If you believe you will be undergoing a food challenge, please remain off medications such as antihistamines for at least 5-7 days prior to testing. For examples of drugs to avoid please click here. For questions please call the office.
Patch testing: Patch testing involves evaluations for an allergy which works through a somewhat different immune pathway than skin testing. This is the pathway involved in skin reactions such as nickel or gold allergy. This procedure involves placement of the “patch” containing the items in question on a clear area of the skin, usually the back. The patch is then removed 48 hours later and subsequently “read” for reactions. The patch is not to be removed during this 48 hour period and should have little or no contact with water. There may be some mild itching associated local irritation while wearing the patch. If you believe you will be patch testing please remain off medications such as oral steroids or topical steroids for at least 7-14 days prior to placement if possible. If you are on any immune suppressive drugs, such as oral steroids, please let our office know. For questions please call the office.
Lung function testing: Lung function testing, or pulmonary function testing, (PFT) , in our clinic involves breathing into a machine called a spirometer to assess various lung functions. Additional testing such as methacholine testing may be scheduled and performed as well. If you believe you might perform lung function testing during your visit, if possible, please do not take your normal inhaled medications only the morning of the day of your testing. Do not hold your medications if you are having severe difficulty breathing. For examples of drugs to avoid please click here. For questions please call the office. Again only hold these medications the morning of your testing and only if your breathing is not significantly impaired.
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Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only. This content is not meant to replace the advice of a trained medical professional. If you have any questions about the content, please contact the practice. In case of a medical emergency, call 911.