Asthma & Allergy Associates of Florida - The Allergy Group

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Asthma and Allergy Associates of Florida
The Allergy Group
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Allergy Services Testing
Skin Testing for Allergies
Food Testing
Allergen Avoidance Counseling
The Skin Test Procedure
Insect Allergy Testing and Immunotherapy
Drug Testing and Challenges
Pulmonary Function Testing
Patch Testing for Contact Dermatitis
Allergen Immunotherapy (Allergy Shots)
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Skin Testing for Allergies

• Skin testing is the most reliable form of allergy
  testing. Because histamine-containing cells are
  located in high numbers just under the skin,
  results of skin testing have proven to be more
  accurate than blood testing in diagnosing
  allergies.

• Skin testing is ideal for diagnosing allergies to
  airborne allergens that can lead to allergic
  rhinitis and asthma, and can be helpful in
  diagnosing food allergy. Skin testing is also
  commonly used to diagnose insect allergy and
  occasionally drug allergy.

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Skin-Diagnosis and Treatment
The surface of your skin is pricked or
"scratched" with tiny amounts of a number of
specific allergens. If the results are positive,
a small reaction on the skin occurs, usually
within 20 minutes. This reaction usually causes
some itchiness and is very similar to a mosquito
bite. This indicates that you are very allergic
to that specific trigger. If no bump appears, we
normally do a follow up test to that specific
allergen with another small injection of extract.
Depending on the results of your skin test, your
allergist will determine the best way to treat
your allergy symptoms.
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Allergen Immunotherapy (Allergy Shots)
Allergen Immunotherapy is a treatment program
designed to reduce allergic sensitivity to
environmental substances (allergens like dust
mite, mold, animal dander and pollens). Extracts
of these substances are injected over a period of
time. These extract mixtures are basically
vaccines that teach your immune system to ignore
these normally harmless substances. They do not
contain any drugs. They are just a combination of
proteins that make up the allergens and are safe
for children and adults.
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Pulmonary Function Testing
We use state-of-the-art spirometry equipment to
test lung function. These tests are performed
when a patient has difficulty breathing or is
chronically coughing. By determining the amount
(volume) and/or speed (flow) of air that can be
exhaled, we can measure bronchial obstruction. It
is used to diagnose asthma or determine the
severity of the disease.
To perform the test, the patient is asked to take
the deepest breath they can, and then exhale into
the device as hard as possible, for as long as
possible. Then the patient is asked to rapidly
inhale, in particular when assessing possible
upper airway obstruction. Then the test is
repeated after a bronchodilator treatment to
determine if there is an improvement typically
seen in asthma.
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