The frequency of food allergies is increasingly universal, and many persons have no idea they have food allergies. Food allergy test may be particularly useful to those people who notice some discomfort after that they took particular types of foods. In following sections, we will look at the advantages of food allergy and why any individual who experiences repeated allergic episodes should undergo food allergy tests.
Food allergies and why people need to be tested for them
Food allergy is a physiological phenomenon, wherein the body’s Immune system develops hypersensitivity towards a particular food product. This leads to an immune response, which typically cause mild to severe symptoms including, severe anaphylactic reactions. Data from ACAA has estimated that approximately 32 million people in the United States suffer from food allergies; 5.6 million being children. Pending this statistic, people tend to have little knowledge of which foods are the culprits of their troubles.
Early Detection utmost important
Allergy to food may result in skin rashes, digestive tract disorders, respiratory ailment and so on. If these symptoms are not diagnosed properly, it may lead to prolong uneasy state and potentially life threatening cases. This is because food allergy testing helps subjects to identify foods that cause them allergies and then avoid those foods in order to lead normal lives.
Advantages of Food Allergy Testing
1. Times: Specific recognition of allergens
The most obvious advantage of food allergy testing is the ability to accurately determine food allergens. A healthcare practitioner can screen for immune responses to certain foods via the blood test or skin prick tests and help people who suffer from the mentioned symptoms associated with foods. The reduction of so many factors to a daily allotment can often spare one from making a mistake regarding foods that are actually destructive to one’s health.
2. Improved Quality of Life
This paper aims to makes people understand that once they point out the allergen and avoid coming into contact with it, they can have a much better quality life. Some of the signs that indicate allergies to foods include; lethargy, stomach aches, or skin rashes that would hinder normal functioning throughout the day. Through an analysis of food allergies, people can create an individual plan towards their health, avoiding allergic reactions, and their general wellbeing.
3. Safety and Prevention – Improvement
Food allergies can be lethal particularly when a person’s prior reaction was anaphylactic. According to the CDC, about 200000 Americans have to seek medical attention annually as a result of anaphylactic reactions to food. Food allergy testing offers a well-defined route that would help to eliminate these deadly occurrences by detecting the allergens in time and excluding problematic products from the user’s diet.
4. Better Dietary Planning
To those who are suffering from any type of food allergies, achieving the adoption of a desirable diet can be quite unearthing. But tests for food allergy enable more accurate regulation of the individual’s food intake. Finding out which specific foods are off limits guides people in making better choices and discovering which products can be replaced. This can be especially beneficial for children in that they require diets that are nutritional and free of specific allergy causing foods.
5. Peace of Mind
Lastly, food allergy testing helps patients free of the constant fear of allergic reactions and helps reassure the families of patients. Being able to identify the cause of an allergy may reduce tension and also do away with the worry of unknown symptoms. Also, parents with children with food allergy benefit from early testing as it eliminates anxiety of the child coming into contact with a wrong allergen.
Types of Food Allergy Tests
There are a number of immunological food allergy tests that can be offered and each is associated with strengths and weaknesses. The most common tests include:
Skin Prick Test
A healthcare provider will use a small amount of allergens to the skin and then make scratches to the skin with something like a pin. If there is a reaction, then this will point to an allergy of the tested food.
Blood Test
A blood test determines the level of certain IgE antibodies that the body releases when it is exposed to allergens. This test is employed where skin testing is not feasible or to support skin testing outcomes.
Oral Food Challenge
This test involves taking tiny portions of what is believed to be causing allergy with the help of a doctor. But it is by far the most accurate method of deciding if a particular food triggers one’s allergic reaction and can only be administered in a clinical context because of the life-threatening repercussions potentially involved.
Conclusion:
This we know, food allergies are prevalent and some of them can be life threatening. PRACTICE Diamond, G. 2008 Food allergy testing is a significant component of diagnosis and management of these diseases offering several advantages including allergen identification, improved quality of life, increased safety, and better dietary interventions. Given the current global surge of such conditions, the best time to seek an allergic test is now should one experience any allergic reactions. Through these actions in this article you can avoid the future pitfalls of having food allergies that lead to a vulnerable health. When you want to include food allergy test information in your daily regimen, you can be free to manage your health without worrying about the risk of an allergic reaction.