Diagnosis

How do I know if I am at risk from anaphylactic shock ?

If you have suffered a bad allergic reaction in the past, then any future reaction may also be severe. You should see your GP and discuss the need for referral to an allergy specialist. If you have asthma as well as allergies, a referral is particularly important. Where nuts and seeds are concerned, even mild symptoms should be regarded as possible warning signs. Again, an assessment by a specialist is vital. Allergic reactions are unpredictable and may vary in severity from one time to the next.

How can the specialist know how allergic I am ?

The honest answer is that the specialist can't be certain. There is, as yet, no perfect way of measuring an individual's potential for a severe allergic response. It is even more difficult in young children. But the specialist can do several things, which will provide valuable clues.

History: The specialist will take a detailed history of previous reactions and other allergic conditions you may have such as hay fever, rhinitis (runny nose), eczema, and especially asthma. If you are asthmatic, the specialist will want to know how severe it is and how well you manage it. The specialist may also perform a physical examination. It is important to tell the specialist if you are taking any medication.

Skin prick tests: Small amounts of the suspected allergens are inserted into a series of shallow pinpricks on the arm or back. If you are allergic, say, to eggs, the site of that pinprick will develop a red wheal and flare within 15 minutes. The size of the wheal and flare gives some idea of the degree of your reactivity to that particular allergen. Skin prick tests for food allergies appear to be slightly less reliable than other allergies and false negatives can occur.

Blood tests: RAST (radio-allergosorbent) or Cap assay tests involve taking a small sample of blood. They indicate the degree of reactivity to a specific substance. But they are more expensive and time-consuming and the results do not always reflect the real life situation.
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The information in this site should not be considered in any way whatsoever as medical advice or opinion. Readers must consult with their own doctor to deal directly with their specific circumstances. Products mentioned are not endorsed and are referred to solely as a matter of convenience to the reader.

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