10 Most Common Allergies: Symptoms, Testing, Medication (2024)

FAQs

10 Most Common Allergies: Symptoms, Testing, Medication? ›

Skin tests

With a skin test, the allergist or nurse administers a small amount of a suspect drug to your skin either with a tiny needle that scratches the skin, an injection or a patch. A positive reaction to a test often causes a red, itchy, raised bump. A positive result suggests you may have a drug allergy.

Skin tests

With a skin test, the allergist or nurse administers a small amount of a suspect drug to your skin either with a tiny needle that scratches the skin, an injection or a patch. A positive reaction to a test often causes a red, itchy, raised bump. A positive result suggests you may have a drug allergy.

Depending on the drug suspected of causing the reaction, your allergist may suggest a skin test or, in limited instances, a blood test. A blood test may be helpful in diagnosing a severe delayed reaction, particularly if your physician is concerned that multiple organ systems may be involved.

Most drug allergies cause minor skin rashes and hives. These symptoms may occur right away or hours after receiving the drug. Serum sickness is a delayed type of reaction that occurs a week or more after you are exposed to a medicine or vaccine. Drug allergies can also be associated with low blood counts.

A drug allergy occurs when your immune system mistakenly identifies a drug as a harmful substance, such as a virus or bacterium. Once your immune system detects a drug as a harmful substance, it develops an antibody specific to that drug.

Major Food Allergens

Congress passed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA). This law identified eight foods as major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans.

What is the #1 allergy medicine? ›

Antihistamines, such as Claritin (loratadine), can provide quick relief and can help prevent symptoms if taken every day. Nasal steroids, such as Flonase (fluticasone propionate), are generally the most effective allergy medicines but can take up to 2 weeks to fully work.

Multiple drug intolerance syndrome can be managed by medication avoidance and careful rechallenge when needed. Adverse drug reactions can occur with all medications. Common medication–associated reactions include rashes, gastrointestinal problems, headaches, coughing, muscle aches, and fevers.

They're probably referring to a test that checks your allergic reaction to several of the most common allergens. For example, this could mean your allergist checks for pollen, ragweed, grass, dust and pet dander, as they're the most common airborne irritants.

Skin Prick Test (SPT)

In some cases, skin tests can be the most accurate and least expensive way to confirm allergens. For prick/scratch testing, the doctor or nurse places a small drop of the possible allergen on the skin. They will then lightly prick or scratch your skin with a needle through the drop.

A skin prick test, also called a puncture or scratch test, checks for immediate allergic reactions to as many as 50 different substances at once. This test is usually done to identify allergies to pollen, mold, pet dander, dust mites and foods.

Drug challenges are tests that are performed in hospital to see if your child is allergic to or able to take a particular medicine. This leaflet explains what to expect when your child has a drug challenge. Please contact the paediatric allergy team if you have any questions or concerns using the details on page 3.

The benchmark in healthcare practice, before the administration of any medication, is to verify the patient's full name, medical record number and the documented 'known allergy' status. This practice ensures patient safety and prevents any potential ME-related harm (JCI, 2019).