Right diagnostics can help detect allergies

According to World Allergy Organization, about 20% to 30% of people in India suffer from one or more allergic diseases and the prevalence is rising dramatically. Some of these diseases include asthma, rhinitis, anaphylaxis, drug, food and insect allergy, eczema and urticaria and angioedema.

When you encounter multiple substances you’re allergic to at the same time, they can add up and you may start experiencing symptoms that include a runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, sneezing and coughing, asthma, skin rashes, breathing issues, vomiting and even dizziness.

Tried & tested

The two techniques used for allergy test include a Skin Prick Test and/or a blood test (In-vivo). Both the techniques check on the patient’s immune system of having produced antibodies to an allergen. If the immune system has developed antibodies, it will remember the allergen as a potential threat and is likely to mount a strong immune response on subsequent exposure.

Many illnesses display symptoms that are commonly associated with allergy. A blood sample can help you see whether these symptoms are due to allergy. Several other factors such as age, the degree of atopy, allergen load, type of symptoms and indoor environment etc. can provide doctors with an adequate diagnosis.

(The author is MD & VP/GM, Thermo Fisher Scientific, India & Middle East)