Which Test?

[tabasco32]

which allergy test is better? Is it blood or prick test? I need one done but not sure which one is better.

thank you

lisa

[hathor]

which allergy test is better? Is it blood or prick test? I need one done but not sure which one is better.

thank you

lisa

They test for different immune responses, so neither one is better. They are just different. The prick tests will show immediate, IgE-mediated allergies (sneezing, hives, etc. immediately after encountering the allergen). The blood tests show delayed onset (I've seen different ranges for the time period -- 20 minutes to 2 hours on the low end, one to two days on the high end -- meaning this is how long it takes before you have a reaction), IgG-mediated allergies (some call these sensitivities instead), which can also cause gastrointestinal and other problems. I know you can have the IgG reaction without the IgE one; I don't know if the reverse is true.

I wish I'd know all this back when I had allergy testing. I got lots of pricks and nothing reacted. I was told I had "nonallergic rhinitis" (doctor speak for your body acts like it has an allergy, but I can't find one). Antihistimines worked on me, even though they are only supposed to work for "allergies." Years later I give up wheat for intestinal reasons -- and my perennial runny nose and periodic sneezing fits go away in two days.

I guess which type of testing you do depends on the symptoms you are experiencing. You could always do both.

[Juliebove]

I was told by several Drs. that neither one was any better. But to call our insurance first to make sure that they did not cover one and not the other. One Dr. also said since her dad didn't believe in allergies, for us, the prick test would be best because hopefully once he saw the swelling he'd believe that she was in fact suffering. Alas, his reaction was to say he felt we would all swell like that. He still doesn't believe.