Allergy Testing By Skin Prick - Simple, Painless - Quick Results

Allergy testing has been progressing for over 100 years. Doctors and scientists have a difficult job looking to find the root causes of those symptoms such as running nose and streaming eyes, among several others. One third of Britons (around 19 million people) develop allergy symptoms, and are looking for effective answers through allergy testing.

Treatments and vaccines for hay fever, asthma and food allergies have failed to live up to expectation despite the huge amount of money we spend on them, and sufferers are left wondering where all the money pumped into research over decades has gone.

A high percentage of doctors and researchers are baffled at certain causes of allergies in many patients. Some people do react to certain events that trigger a group of reactions in their system, while the exact same events might not have any effect on others whatsoever. The difficulty in pinpointing the exact reason why someone is allergic to a particular food, insect or even house is a very complicated situation.

Many doctors advise that 'blood allergy testing' has to be employed to find out which allergy you suffer from, which takes longer than skin prick tests - but is extremely accurate. With the sheer amount of complex allergies in society today, it is a difficult and slow process finding out their source. Those who suffer allergies may have to wait a few decades for allergists to come up with answers.

There are several methods of allergy testing that are effective, quick, and cheap, but don't expect any miracle cure - as you will only be given advice on altering your lifestyle. These tests look for 'Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies' in the human system for allergens like pollen, common dust mites, indoor pollutants and pet dander. Variations of these tests like skin prick food intolerance testing are used to examine the complex subject of food allergies. Food allergy testing kits are said to be very accurate in their results, but it's surely better to seek advice from a doctor before you purchase one these kits.

Finding allergy testing centres in your area is straight forward. You can ask your own doctor or practice nurse if you are registered with a GP. A health visitor or school nurse can give you good advice about testing and effective Allergy Relief, or even your local family health service authority where you live. Failing that, just pop down to your local hospital reception or speak to a pharmacist.

Allergy testing kits are available to buy in chemists and on the web that will give you your results in a short period of time. Basic skin prick testing is painless and it's usually the first test advised by specialists when allergy symptoms are present. Taking antihistamines and various other medications like inhalers are prohibited for up to 1 week before the skin testing start day.

A very small droplet of allergen is placed on the skin inner forearm. Up to 30 allergens can be tested on the one arm, which is marked in various areas so the tester knows which allergen those results will come from. Using a specially designed very sharp lancet, the skin is lightly pierced at an angle of 90 degrees directly on top of the allergen drop. Simple, painless and quick diagnosis.

The main advantage of this type of testing is that results normally takes up to 25 minutes. A visible raised wheal and red flare activity on the skin means that the tester can effectively eliminate a realistic cause for allergic symptoms, or diagnose you as positive for an allergy.

Allergy Patch Testing
Another relatively easy way to test for allergies is 'patch testing', which is carried out to determine whether allergies are present through dermatitis (Eczema). Tiny droplets of allergen are spread in a 'Vaseline mixture' which is applied to small metallic discs. These discs are usually taped on the patients back area, and left there for a few days. The patient comes back to the specialist after 2 days for removal and inspection in case of swelling and redness.

After another 2 days, the back is thoroughly scanned for signs of skin reaction to the small amounts of allergens that were applied there earlier. 'Atopy Patch Tests' (APT) on the skin can also be implemented to find out if reactions to foods are present. They are usually used to identify other allergens such as metals, rubber/latex and certain beauty cosmetics. Please note there are several more allergy testing methods available today.

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3 Simple Ideas for Curing Allergies

The Big Question: Is your allergy the problem or is it a symptom of the problem?
In this article we investigate the idea that allergies are actually due to other fundamental, very basic imbalances in the body and the idea that fixing these imbalances could cure your allergies.

If you suffer from allergies then here are 3 simple ideas that you can consider, they are all completely natural, very easy to do and virtually free.

1. Not drinking enough clean pure water
The human body is made up of nearly 60% water and we all know that we need water to stay alive. But not many physicians talk about what happens when the body's most precious commodity is depleted. The late Dr Batmanghelidj spent many years researching and promoting the effects of water as a cure for some of the world's most common diseases.

In his book the "Water Cure" he discusses which illnesses are caused by dehydration and how drugs such as antihistamines can actually make the problem worse. He specifically talks about the relationship between dehydration and asthma like symptoms. As we breathe we breathe out carbon dioxide, oxygen, a little bit of nitrogen and water. As the body gets dehydrated it will automatically start to try to diminish the amount of water leaving the body. One way it does this is by constricting the holes in the lungs through which the water escapes and tightens the bronchials, which can result in the feeling of tight chest and diminished breathing that we associate with asthma.

He further goes on to talk about the dangers of many of our modern beverages such as softdrinks and packet juices, and how these products severely deplete the body of water. As we age our perception of thirst also starts to diminish so by the time you feel thirsty you could actually be already considerably dehydrated. Dr Batmanghelidj suggests that the best way to test for dehydration is to pay attention to the colour of your urine. It should be colorless, when it turns yellow, you are slightly dehydrated and when it turns orange you are severely dehydrated and your body would be suffering from this.

So to avoid this drink more water, not cordial, not tea, not coffee. But plain old, clear, natural water.

Whether you believe water can heal or not, I do think that it's important to make sure your body gets enough water to help it cleanse toxins and function properly.

Sadly with the passing of Dr Batmanghelidj the watercure.com website is no longer functioning but you can find significant amounts of his work published in medical journals and scattered throughout the web. Have a look on Amazon for a copy of his book Your Body's Many Cries for Water.

2. Too much salt from processed foods and not enough high quality natural salt
We read everywhere that salt is bad for us, but what if I were to tell you that good salt is actually essential for the human body to function properly. This is what a lot of people don't understand.

So what is good salt and what is bad salt?

Bad salt is table salt, it's the salt you buy from the supermarket that is chemically manufactured and it's the salt that is contained in almost every single processed product on the market.

Good salt is natural salt from the sea, like celtic sea salt. It contains all of the essential minerals that the human body needs for proper cell nutrition.

You often think of salty foods and automatically feel thirsty. This is what happens when you eat bad salt, because your body immediately tries to flush it from your system which then starts to dehydrate the body. However good salt contains Potassium which the cells of the body require to actually absorb water. If you don't have enough potassium in your diet then it doesn't matter how much water your drink but your cells will never be able to absorb it.

The good news is you can easily fix this and don't even have to give up on the salt, just try and cut down on processed foods and swap your table salt for sea salt.

3. Low stomach acid levels
With the modern day consumption of alcohol, coffee, processed foods and antacids we have gradually depleted the levels of acid present the stomach.

When you chew your body starts to prepare itself for food. Initially enzymes in the saliva start to break down the food and the stomach starts to produce Hydrochloric Acid. If we produce enough stomach acid then the food will be properly broken down to then move through to the intestine where all of the essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids are absorbed into the body. These are all of the things that keep us healthy, boost your immune system, give you energy and make you feel good.

If the food isn't broken down by the stomach acid enough then it will pass into the intestine in big lumps mostly undigested and all of the goodness will not be able to pass through the intestinal membrane to where it is needed most.

The best way to make sure your stomach acid levels stay on the right track is to have a glass of water with the juice of half a lemon every morning, or even better a glass of water with a tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar. This can take a while to get used to so start with small amounts and work your way up.

If you suffer from hives or similar allergies check out Hives Treatment Guide for more great information on the best hives and angioedema treatments.

For more information on taking Antihistamines for hives read this interesting article that explains everything you need to know.

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