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Skin testing can determine allergies to animal dander, dust and dust mites, insects, fabrics, foods, latex, mold and mildew, and grass, tree, or weed pollens. Using the skin on the inside of your arms little drops of each suspected allergen are placed on the skin and pricked with a plastic applicator to break the top layer of the skin. A timer is set for 10 minutes and if the skin is itchy, red or has welts it is scored on a zero to four scale.

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The most common food allergies are nuts, peanuts, shell fish, wheat, corn, milk and eggs. Food testing can help detect the food that you are allergic to. The doctor will explain in detail what steps should be taken if you have a positive result.

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Immunotherapy is the most effective treatment against airborne allergens, such as, pollen, dust and mold. Once the patients’ allergies are known from the skin testing, a minuscule amount of each allergen is injected into the patients’ arm which triggers the production of antibodies that can actually block allergy symptoms. The dose is gradually increased each week until eventually the patient can be exposed to the allergen without symptoms occurring. This process can begin working within 4 to 6 months and needs to be continued for as long as 3 to 5 years.

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Eczema symptoms include itchy, red, and dry skin caused by inflammation. It’s most commonly found in children, although adults can get it. There are different types of eczema. The most common is called atopic dermatitis.
Your doctor will diagnose a drug allergy by asking you questions about the medicines you are or have recently been taking.

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Evaluation of asthma and allergy symptoms during pregnancy.

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Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) is a special computer designed test that helps to measure the force of air exhaled and inhaled into the lungs. There are three measurements that are especially important when measuring the lung functions. The forced vital capacity (FVC) measures the total amount of air, in liters, in the lungs. The forced expiratory volume (FEV1) measures the amount of air expelled in the first second the air is forced out of your lungs, this is usually restricted in asthmatics. The last measurement, and perhaps the most important in detecting asthma, is the Forced Expiratory Flow (FEF 25-75). This assesses the amount of air in the small airways, or bronchioles, which are usually decreased in asthma.