Allergy Testing in Pearland, Texas

Allergy testing is a key step in treatment planning. At Texas ENT Specialists in Pearland, we are committed to making you feel comfortable and informed throughout the process. The results of your allergy tests will give your physician the necessary information for developing an effective treatment plan, so you can live a life free from allergy symptoms. Our office in Pearland can test for environmental allergies, food allergies, drug allergies, and more.

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How Our Pearland Providers Perform Allergy Tests

Allergy testing in Pearland can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours in total. During this process, you will be injected with small amounts of the allergens that may be triggering your symptoms. The wait time is necessary to ensure the results we are viewing are accurate. Before we start this process, however, you must take a control test to check if there are any residual medications in your body. If you display an abnormal response to this test, we will have to reschedule your allergy testing for another day.

Getting Prepared for Your Allergy Tests

If you are taking any beta-blockers, you will have to reach out to the prescribing physician and discuss if it is possible to stop these medications a week prior to your allergy testing appointment. Your doctor may be able to temporarily switch you to a different class of medications, which will give you the window of opportunity needed to perform these allergy tests. You can resume your medications once the tests are finished.

What Can Allergy Testing Detect?

Allergies caused by environmental factors
Dust mite allergies
Pollen allergies

Why is Allergy Testing Necessary?

You will know exactly what allergen triggers your symptoms
It is a relatively fast process
It can improve your life by ensuring you receive the most effective treatment

The Allergy Testing Timeline at Texas ENT Specialists in Pearland

1 Week Before Testing

There are several medications you will have to avoid before your allergy testing appointment. To ensure you avoid them, we will email you a list and, if you have any questions, we encourage you to reach out to us before the day of your allergy test. It is also important to disclose any respiratory illnesses you have.

1 Day Before Testing

Since allergy testing is performed on the arms of a patient, you will need to shave these areas if you have a substantial amount of hair. However, you should not shave on the morning of your test since this may result in irritation and you will have to postpone your appointment. It is advised that you shave at least 12 hours before allergy testing.

The Day of The Test

If you smoke or use tobacco, do not use these products for four hours before testing
On the morning of your test, please shower
Avoid using any perfumes, colognes, or other scented products
Do not consume any beverages that contain caffeine

Allergy testing takes only a couple of hours to complete and is performed on a patient’s arms. We will monitor the affected areas after injections are administered. To pass the time while you wait, you may want to consider bringing an electronic tablet, a magazine, or a book.

We will need access to your arms, so please wear clothing that is either short-sleeved or has loose sleeves that can easily be rolled up to your shoulder. If there is any reason why it is impossible to conduct these tests on your arms, wear loose shorts that you can slide up past your upper thighs.

If you are bringing in your child to test for allergies, have them wear loose-fitting shorts if they are between 5 and 7 years of age or have small arms.

To ensure it is safe for you to be tested for allergies, we will first ask you to submit to a pulmonary lung function test. If you have asthma or any other lung conditions, inform your doctor.