Often thrown to the wayside amongst the developmental years, receiving an allergen test is often not made a priority with physicians. After all, the focus is on development and meeting standardized tests. However, an allergen test should be an integral part in every child and adult’s life, simply because it offers up a full picture of a person’s individual needs and expectancies that can often get missed.
Should I get an allergen test?
There are many benefits to getting an allergen test, even if you are not experiencing severe symptoms (such as anaphylaxis). Take a look at some of the impressive benefits waiting for you with proper testing and diagnosis.
•Detection and verification of mystery reactions: If you feel like you are reacting to everything, or you’re only reacting to something every once in while, it’s easy to feel exhausted simply from the mental effort involved in trying to sort out what you’re reacting to, and why. Allergen testing will show you if it’s more than one trigger or just the same one in a few different forms.
•A better relationship with food: Understanding what works and what doesn’t work with your body is going to help you have a better connection to food and your meals. You’ll be able to eat foods without fear of an unplanned reaction. You’ll also be able to try new foods in new places when you know what triggers to avoid.
•A healthier life with a balanced diet: One of the common problems with an unclear or undiagnosed allergy, is that you do not know what is causing the symptoms you are experiencing. This tends to land you in a rut in which you will only eat confirmed non-reaction foods. This can have long-term effects such as malnutrition and other sicknesses as a result. Diagnosis and identification of allergens will give you the freedom to have better variety in the world of food and, therefore, a healthier and balanced diet.
•It’s fast and effective: Unlike a lot of medical tests out there, an allergen test is done quickly and efficiently. From blood testing to hair sample testing, you can get tested in a variety of ways that make this totally possible for those at any age and with varying comfort levels.
Remember…
Something to remember when considering allergen testing is that, in Australia, Medicare will cover part of the cost of a skin prick test as well as blood tests that are used to detect and diagnose allergies. If money is an issue for you to steer yourself away from this important potentially life-saving test, this is certainly a detail to keep in mind.
While allergen testing may not be front of mind when it comes it all of the other medical tests and developmental focuses, it can make for a more fulfilling life that comes from having all of your own medical details. Make it a priority today and see for yourself just how much it can make a proper difference.
