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Hay Fever Diagnosis

Also called allergic rhinitis, hay fever is a condition that causes symptoms that are similar to those of the common cold. Approximately 40 to 50 million Americans suffer from hay fever, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

  1. Symptoms

    • The first step in receiving a diagnosis of hay fever is to recognize the symptoms of the condition, such as a runny nose, watery or itch eyes, coughing, sneezing, itching in your nose or throat, sinus pressure, facial pain, blue-colored skin under your eyes and decreased sense of smell or taste, according to the Mayo Clinic.

    Function

    • Diagnosis of hay fever involves determining what specific substances trigger the immune system response that causes symptoms of allergic rhinitis. This allows doctors to determine if you suffer from hay fever and if so, how best to treat the condition.

    Types of Diagnostic Tests

    • Diagnostic testing for hay fever includes skin, elimination and blood tests. Provocation is another type of test, where you are subjected to a particular allergen in a controlled environment and observed for any reactions.

    Features

    • Blood tests for hay fever measure levels of a substance known as immunoglobulin e, which is released in your body during an attack of allergic rhinitis. With elimination testing, doctors gradually have you remove certain stimuli from your home environment or stop eating certain foods, and when your hay fever symptoms stop, it is likely that the last thing that you eliminated was causing the symptoms.

    Time Frame

    • Skin tests are the quickest diagnostic tool for hay fever and require between 15 and 20 minutes to complete, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. The tests involve pricking the skin with a small amount of different allergens and then checking for a rash or welt that signifies an allergy.

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