How to Test for Pollen Allergies

Over 40 million Americans suffer from allergies, and many of them are reacting to airborne pollen spores. Before you can effectively manage your allergies, you must determine whether seasonal pollens are causing your problem or if you are reacting to other triggers, including mold, pet dander and dust mites.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Make an appointment with an allergist. If you are unaware of one in your area, ask friends, family members or your primary-care doctor for a recommendation.
2. Ask your allergist how to plan for your appointment. You will need to stop taking antihistamines 3 to 7 days prior to your visit, and some doctors also require cessation of antidepressants or acid-control medications before testing.
3. Allow plenty of time when planning your appointment with the allergist, as it may take 2 to 4 hours to complete testing and consultation.
4. Arrive at the allergist ready to give a detailed medical history, including a list of your symptoms and their frequency. Take along the names and doses of any over-the-counter medications you've been taking to treat your allergy symptoms.
5. Be prepared for needles. Your doctor will most likely give you a skin-prick test or a blood test to isolate which allergens you react strongly to. In addition to a variety of pollens, she may test you for mold, food and pet-dander allergies.
6. Avoid scratching testing areas (typically the back and arms) if you received skin-prick tests. The testing site may become itchy as you react to particular allergens, but scratching it may cause more irritation and even a rash.

Tips & Warnings

• Realize that taking measures to find out what pollens you may be allergic to is only the first step. Attempting to avoid confirmed allergens is key to managing your symptoms.
• Be patient. Depending upon the testing method, it may take up to several days to get test results back. While skin tests give fast results, blood work can take 2 to 4 days to process.
• In rare cases, you may react strongly to a particular pollen or other allergen when testing is conducted. Let the doctor know immediately if you develop a worrisome rash or have difficulty breathing.