How to Diagnose Preservative Allergies
Preservatives additives are chemicals that extend the storage life of food, by keeping the food fresh and preventing it from spoiling and gathering mold. Many people suffer from preservative allergies, which causes an allergic reaction to certain preservatives such as sulphites,antioxidants, flavorings, colorings and benzoic acid. Fortunately, preservative allergies are both treatable and controllable. If you want to diagnose preservative allergies, there are few things that you must do.
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Instructions
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Contact an allergist (allergy specialist) as soon as possible. An allergist is a doctor that diagnoses, treats and manages allergy-related conditions. He can give you certain tests that can identify your specific preservative allergies.
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Go to your scheduled appointment and meet with the doctor. The allergist begins by asking you about your symptoms, the type of allergic reactions you're having (such as hives, a rash, swelling or asthma) and the frequency of the reactions.
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Discuss the allergy tests with your doctor. In order to identify preservative allergies, the doctor must give you certain blood and skin tests such as the RAST (Radio AllergoSorbent test), ELISA (Enzyme Multiplied ImmunoSorbent Assay), FAST (Fluorescence AllertgoSorbent test), Intradermal (scratch test) and skin and patch tests.
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Complete the necessary blood and skin tests. Be sure to ask your doctor questions and inform her of any concerns you may have.
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Finish the testing requirements by completing the elimination diet and food challenge test. This test involves the doctor removing certain foods from your diet (such as milk, eggs, nuts, citrus and soy) and monitoring your progress. These foods are later added back to your diet and your doctor determines whether or not these specific foods are the reason for your allergic reactions. This process is repeated as many times as needed.
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Wait for your test results. The allergist will call you when your results are back from the laboratory (usually within 3 to 5 days). He's then able to make a formal diagnosis and discuss treatment options with you.
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