By Yhordan Serpentini | March 1, 2023
Unfortunately, food allergies are a very serious medical condition that is not taken as seriously as it should be. An allergy may sound like you will be experiencing (at worse) itchiness or welts, but it can be far worse and deadlier, which is why it is important that you receive a food allergy profile to know what foods you should stay clear of. In this blog, we will be discussing everything you need to know about a food allergy profile, including what is measured during a test, how the test is performed, and the common signs and symptoms of an allergy test, as well as an allergic reaction.
What Is A Food Allergy Profile?
A food allergy profile, also known as a food allergy panel, is an allergenic test that measures the levels of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies with common food allergens. These tests consist of measuring how your antibodies react to 15 allergens in order to determine your immune responses. After receiving a food allergy profile, it is important to follow up on the results with an independent physician or allergy specialist, to be properly diagnosed and prescribed medication.
What Is Tested During A Food Allergy Profile?
As mentioned earlier, there are 15 different food allergens that are tested to determine how your IgE antibodies respond to them, including eggs and egg whites, peanuts, tree nuts, soybeans, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, and milk. If you have a food allergy, even the smallest doses will cause your immune system to react towards it by releasing too much antibody IgE–this activation produces the histamine substance (which is what causes an allergic reaction).
Basic Signs And Symptoms Of An Allergy
There are many different signs and symptoms of food allergies, but during a food allergy profile, the doses of each allergen are controlled for your safety. At most, you will experience welts, itchiness on or around the site, runny nose, and nasal congestion during a food allergy profile. The same symptoms can be experienced during immunotherapy directly after receiving injections.
Other common signs of an allergic reaction include:
- Diarrhea
- Minor Abdominal Pain
- Minor Abdominal Cramps
- Difficulty Swallowing
- Itchiness in, or around, throat and/or eyes
That being said, there are many instances where you or someone else can experience worse, more serious symptoms of an allergic reaction. If you or someone else are experiencing multiple of the following symptoms, use an EpiPen (if available) and seek immediate medical attention:
- Severe Abdominal Pain or Cramps
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Difficulty Breathing
- Severe Hives
- Shortness of Breath
- Feeling Faint
- Anaphylaxis Shock
How Is A Food Allergy Profile Conducted?
A food allergy profile is conducted through a scratch test on your forearm(s) or back. If the scratch test is proven to be inconclusive, then an intradermal test–also known as a skin prick test, or a puncture test–in which a small amount of the 15 allergens are individually punctured into the surface of your forearm’s or back’s skin through a small syringe. If that is also proven to be inconclusive after 15-30 minutes, then an allergy blood test will have to be conducted to perform a direct reaction.
Need a fast and reliable food allergy profile? Visit our Lab Tests page to see all of our available options to book an appointment with us. All results are typically available within two hours of onsite testing!
Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to be medical advice
References:
Food allergy panel: Allergy testing: Quest health. Food Allergy Panel | Allergy Testing | Quest Health. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2023, from https://www.questhealth.com/product/food-allergy-panel-91682M.html#:~:text=The%20Food%20.
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2023, February 28). Food allergy testing: Medlineplus Medical Test. MedlinePlus. Retrieved March 1, 2023, from https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/food-allergy-testing/
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