Allergy Test

Allergy Test
“As many as 25 per cent of the Indians are suffering from different types of allergies, including asthma, skin irritations and respiratory disorders.” “According to medical experts, over 20 lakh Indians suffer from various allergies.” Source: http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/ People having allergy develop a special type of antibody called Immunoglobulin E (IgE) which can react with environmental substances in harmful way. These substances are called allergens. The most common allergens are house dust mite, animal dander, pollen, moulds and foodstuffs. Why get tested for allergy? Once the allergen is identified, the treatment plan can be formulated. For curative treatment, it is essential that allergen responsible for the symptoms be accurately identified. When to get tested? When you have symptoms such as rashes, dermatitis, rhinitis (nasal congestion), red itchy watery eyes, asthma, or abdominal pain that your doctor suspects may be caused by an allergy
What is being tested? The allergen-specific IgE antibody test is used to screen for an allergy to a specific allergen. It measures the amount of that suspected IgE antibody in the blood. What are the symptoms of an allergic reaction? Mild allergy symptoms can include rash, itchy-watery eyes, congestion. Mild allergic reactions do not spread to other parts of the body. Moderate allergic reactions can include symptoms that spread to other parts of the body, including itchiness, difficulty in breathing Severe Allergy Symptoms (Anaphylaxis) Anaphylaxis is a rare, life-threatening emergency in which the body's response to the allergen is sudden and affects the whole body. Allergy symptoms may begin with sudden itching of the eyes or face and within minutes, progress to more serious symptoms, including varying degrees of swellings that can make breathing and swallowing difficult, abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, mental confusion or dizziness The vast plethora of allergens makes it difficult to test for all of them. Panel based tests against specific groups like respiratory, food etc can now be done with a single serum sample. How to get tested? Old method Up until recently and still a practice in many clinics is to get tested for various allergies by the traditional "pricking" of the skin using a fine needle loaded with a small dose of the allergen or patching. Disadvantages: it is cumbersome, children are usually uncooperative and more importantly the result is very subjective dependent on how the doctor or technician reads it which is usually stated in + to ++++ (mild to severe). Also, many allergens which are tested may not be specific to our Indian environment. What we offer? . A New India – Specific Allergy Quantitative test For Indian Specific Food & Respiratory Allergens Advantages: A simple blood test. Exact quantitative results for follow up measurements to compare after treatment. Tests for both food AND Respiratory (environment related) allergens. Separate test panels for adults and children. Screening test for 80 different allergens. Now available in Bandra (W), Mumbai Only at Disha Pathology Services 1. Common Indian Food allergens– 20 allergen test panel 2. Common Indian Respiratory allergens – 20 allergen test panel 3. Common Paediatric Specific allergens – 20 allergen test panel 4. Combination IgE Screening for 80 India Specific Allergens in a Single Test What is the test fee? Food Panel – Rs 3500/- Respiratory Panel – Rs 3500/- 80 Allergen Test Panel for Screening – Rs 5000/- (Additional cost for specific allergens)