How to Test for Hay Fever

Many of the most common allergies are directly related to objects that are breathed in through the nose. This can include pet hair, dust and pollen. In the pollen grouping is hay fever. Hay fever can be a serious allergy, so if you suspect you may have allergic rhinitis, you should go in and see an allergy specialist. The specialist is going to use an allergy test to see if and how allergic you are to hay fever.

Instructions

• 1

  Receive a skin-prick test. Typically, when you are being tested for allergies, the doctor is going to administer a small needle prick to either your back or arm. The needle prick has a very small amount of the possible allergen on its tip and the doctor checks to see how your skin reacts. This is one of the most common testing methods for hay fever.

• 2

  Have an intradermat-test injection be given. If you are just being tested for hay fever, you might receive one of these injections. The process is similar to a skin-prick test, but with the intradermat test the hay fever is actually injected under your skin. Because the test is more sensitive, it is going to show more accurate results than a skin-prick test.

• 3

  Administer a patch test. If you are scared of needles, you may be able to ask your doctor to perform a patch test. The patch test is similar to a skin-prick test, only a small patch containing the hay-fever allergen is applied to the skin so no skin is removed.

• 4

  Perform a RAST test. Doctors may choose to do one of these tests if you are currently on medication that keeps them from using the other testing methods. With a RAST test, blood is taken directly from you and the hay-fever allergen is added directly to the blood. Here the doctor can see if you are allergic without actually having you in the room.