Personalized Allergy Treatment Plans with Genetic Testing

Growing up, lettuce made me horribly ill. I couldn’t eat it without ending up feeling tired, coughing and gagging, and experiencing stomach cramps that would make me nauseous. Too many friends’ parents and neighborhood moms believed I was making it up and would force me to eat the salad they were serving with dinner. 

It caused me to withdraw and not want to go to friends’ houses when I was a kid. I’ve grown up avoiding lettuce and any gatherings where I know the hosts will understand that I cannot eat any type of lettuce. If it’s going to be an imposition, I’ll stay home.

When my son showed the same symptoms after eating lettuce, I realized there must be something in our genetics. Over 48% of children with an allergy have another family member with the same allergy. Estimates for genetic histories for asthma are as high as 95%.

Does this sound familiar? Are there foods or products you use or are exposed to that your body meets with an inflammatory response? Do your children, siblings, or parents have the same reactions to pet dander, pollen, mold, or insects as you? You’re not alone. Genetic testing is a great solution to frustrating allergies. Premium Allergy & Respiratory Center can help you get the answers you deserve.

What Is Genetic Testing?

Genetic testing is often used in food allergy testing. Studies find that a family history increases food allergy risk by as much as 80%. If a parent knows they have a food allergy, it makes it easier to test and treat children before symptoms become severe. 

Some of the most common food allergies that are investigated using genetic testing are:

• Birch pollen
• Cow’s milk
• Fish and seafood
• Nuts
• Peanuts

There are online allergy tests you can purchase. These DNA allergy tests are readily available, so people enjoy the flexibility and lower cost. They’re also not as accurate as an allergy test a board-certified allergist offers. 

DNA allergy tests can determine if you have a predisposition to something, but they cannot accurately prove you have an allergy. For an allergy test to be accurate, blood tests, oral food challenges, patch tests, or skin prick tests are necessary.

How Does Allergy Testing Work?

Before you can understand how allergy tests work, it helps to understand the three most common types of allergy tests. 

DNA Allergy Test

For a DNA allergy test, a swab from the inside of your cheek collects skin cells from your mouth. Sometimes, a sample of saliva is spat into a vial and submitted instead. A lab processes your sample to build a genetic profile based on your predisposition to a list of allergens.

Blood Tests

A blood test measures your body’s reaction to certain allergens. It measures the Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies, the antibodies that play a major role in an inflammatory response that happens when you have an allergic reaction. 

Blood tests are used for many allergens, including foods. If there’s a spike in IgE after being exposed to a possible allergen, it’s a good indicator that there’s an allergy to that item. Blood tests that measure IgE identify allergies to foods, mold, and pollen.

Oral Food Challenges

You shouldn’t try to do oral food challenges at home to diagnose your food allergies. You need to be in a clinical setting with medical support available in case there’s a severe reaction.

With this allergy test, you eat a small amount of food that you believe you’re allergic to. Your doctor monitors you for signs of food allergy. These symptoms include things like swollen lips and tongue, tingling lips and mouth, and tightening of the throat. Because your airways may swell and make it impossible to breathe, oral food challenges must be done under medical supervision.

Patch Allergy Test

A patch allergy test involves exposing your skin to specific allergens. The patch has a small drop or smear of an allergen and is placed on your back. Multiple patches are placed during the appointment and left in place for two days.

 As each patch is removed, your allergy doctor looks to see if the skin is inflamed and what that inflamed area was exposed to. You’ll have a list of allergens when the test is complete. Patch allergy tests are ideal for eczema. They’re a suitable test for determining allergies to items like dyes, fragrances, latex, medications, metals, and preservatives.

Skin Prick Tests

With a skin prick test, a small amount of allergen is injected into the upper layer of skin through a tiny scratch or pinprick through a lancet. Your skin is sterilized with an alcohol wipe first and then the allergen is inserted into the upper layers of skin. 

You can test for dozens of allergens in different areas during the same appointment. If there’s a reaction in the next 15 minutes or so, you know you have an allergy to that substance.

The reaction often looks and feels a lot like a mosquito bite. Once the test is complete, the areas are wiped clean with alcohol swabs. A skin prick test doesn’t take long, and it’s a great way to diagnose dust mites, mold, pet dander, and pollen allergies.

Tips for Finding an Allergy Doctor Offering Genetic Testing

How do you find an allergy doctor who offers allergy tests and a variety of treatment options for you and your family? Start by looking at the doctor’s education. You want a doctor with years of experience in allergy testing and immunology treatments.

Find out what age groups the doctor works with. If you’re looking at genetically-linked allergies, a doctor who specializes in pediatric and adult allergies is best. 

Finally, look for a board-certified allergy specialist. The American Board of Allergy and Immunology (ABAI) sets the standards for residents to follow when learning their specialty. To become board-certified, residents work with both children and adults in a two- or three-year training program. The length of training depends on the hospital program.

During that time, residents focus on specializing in allergy diagnostics, testing, treatments, and immunology, which is a branch of allergy treatments where your body learns to avoid an inflammatory response when introduced to the allergen. 

Schedule an appointment with Premium Allergy & Respiratory Center to arrange an allergy test. Once you know your allergies, you can share that information with the family members who matter most and ensure everyone finds treatments that control their symptoms.