There are many people who may be under the impression they have a food allergy of some sort, especially with all of the press gluten and gluten-free food, have received over the last couple of years. However, it isn’t possible to be certain if a person has a food allergy until they have actually undergone food allergy testing in Seattle. However, this leads to an important question to answer for those who think they or a loved one may have a food allergy: how does food allergy testing actually work?
The Process Starts by Seeing a Specialist
Once the patient has located a specialist to perform food allergy testing in Seattle, they visit the allergist’s office, where one of two types of tests is performed. The clinician either conducts a skin test, which involves taking liquid extracts from various foods and applying it to a patient’s skin, or by conducting a blood test.
The skin test often offers a conclusive result in 15 to 20 minutes because a red bump appears on the skin if the person is allergic to the food in question. By contrast, the blood test takes several weeks to be analyzed and, as a result, costs more than the skin test. These tests only yield correct results when conducted by a professional so vet your allergist accordingly.
What Can Food Allergy Testing Tell a Patient?
When performed correctly, food allergy testing in Seattle can tell a patient a number of things that will be helpful to them going forward by identifying delayed food sensitivity reactions that can be contributing to a wide array of health problems. Identifying these foods quickly with a blood test is extremely helpful. By eliminating foods that are triggering an immune response, our body’s can begin the healing process.
For more information on food allergy testing in Seattle, contact the Seattle Naturopathy and Acupuncture Center today.
