Allergies Driving You Crazy This Spring? Time for a Skin Test

As warmer weather approaches, you’re probably ready to spend more time outside, soaking in the sunshine and enjoying the higher temperatures.

Along with the change of seasons, though, allergies often kick in as well.

If your allergies are driving you crazy this spring, Dr. James Lee and our team at Woodstock Family Practice & Urgent Care is set to help diagnose and treat you. Here’s how a skin test can make a big difference for you.

What are allergies?

An estimated 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, which are a chronic condition that develops when your body mistakenly identifies an inoffensive substance as a threat to your health. Your body then mounts a defense to this threat by releasing immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to fight it off.

This sounds like your body has things under control, right? But here’s the problem: When the IgE antibodies and the allergen interact, it brings about your familiar allergic symptoms, including runny nose, cough, itchy eyes, sneezing, shortness of breath, and more.

Common allergens that cause these symptoms include pollen, pet dander, mold, dust, various foods and medicines, insect bites, and latex.

How are allergies diagnosed?

Even if you know you’re having an allergic reaction, what if you don’t know the specific allergen? A skin test reveals how your immune system reacts to various allergens. In other words, we’re checking to see which substances elicit an allergic response.

When we conduct the test, we inject or apply a small amount of a diluted allergen to your skin. Depending on your individual situation, we typically test several substances at the same time, creating a line or grid of test sites on your skin. We use a marker to keep track of each test.

After we apply the substances, we closely monitor you for signs of an allergic reaction, and we note which substances cause the reaction so we can develop a treatment plan. We also keep a close eye on you in case of an extreme allergic reaction.

How are allergies treated?

Immunotherapy is our preferred method for treating your allergies. The process involves a series of injections of a diluted amount of your known allergen. Over time, your body slowly learns that the allergen isn’t actually a threat, so your allergic reaction diminishes and can eventually disappear entirely.

We also help you learn how to avoid your known allergens in the first place, and we can provide treatment to ease your symptoms while you’re still allergic.

Whether you’re a chronic allergy sufferer or this is the first time they’ve affected you, our team at Woodstock Family Practice & Urgent Care in Woodstock, Georgia, can offer relief. Call our office anytime or book your own appointment online with our easy scheduler.