Understanding your allergies using food allergy testing is a crucial stage in a comprehensive treatment plan. With a precise diagnosis, your Atlanta area allergy doctor can deliver a targeted solution based on specific allergens. The oral challenge food allergy test is one of the allergy testing options available today. But just how practical is this approach, and can it help tackle your food allergies?
Is an Oral Challenge Food Allergy Test Effective?
An oral food challenge is a highly effective test used to diagnose food allergies. Along with other testing procedures, an oral food challenge helps an allergist determine precisely which allergens are responsible for causing reactions. But before looking further at the effectiveness of the process, it’s important to understand what the test entails.
What Is an Oral Challenge Food Allergy Test?
The testing process takes place at your allergist’s office under close supervision. Patients consume the suspected food in measured doses that increase as long as no allergic symptoms are identified. If an individual experiences allergic symptoms, the test stops and a diagnosis is confirmed. However, when the entire dose is consumed without a reaction, it demonstrates the person does not have an allergy to the substance.
Can an Oral Food Challenge Diagnose an Allergy?
Called the “gold standard for diagnosis of IgE-mediated and non-IgE mediated food allergy” by the National Library of Medicine, the test is well-regarded for its accuracy. In addition to confirming the presence of allergic symptoms, the test also gives vital insights into the levels of food a person can consume before triggering a reaction.
Allergists can use the data from the test to accurately assess a patient’s risk – and the likely severity of a reaction. This information is used by an allergist to develop a personalized treatment plan that will be appropriate for the individual’s circumstances. Learn more about the testing processes in our food allergy testing FAQ.
When Is an Oral Food Challenge Test Used?
The test is most commonly used in the following instances.
- To identify if a food allergy has been outgrown.
- To confirm a diagnosis when other tests are unclear.
- To confirm skin or blood test results when a person has never eaten the food.
When Is an Oral Challenge Food Allergy Test Not Appropriate?
While an oral food challenge is safe and effective, it is time-consuming. Therefore, as a first choice allergists will often perform the far quicker skin prick test and/or blood test. However, if a person is undergoing the long-term process of oral immunotherapy treatment, a food challenge is valuable in delivering diagnostic certainty.
Access Oral Challenge Food Allergy Testing Services in Atlanta
Chacko Food Allergy Treatment Center provides accurate diagnoses for food allergies using oral challenge testing and other options. To identify the allergens causing allergic reactions and receive an effective treatment plan, visit us in Alpharetta, Atlanta, Canton, Cumming, Druid Hills, Duluth or Johns Creek. To contact us, call (678) 668-4688 or request an appointment now.
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