It is important to identify and confirm allergens in your environment that may trigger your asthma. Avoiding or reducing your exposure to these identified allergic triggers is an important part of asthma management.

Your doctor will ask you a series of questions to identify possible allergic triggers and may order allergy tests – Skin prick tests or blood (RAST) tests. These tests detect antibodies to specific allergens. Test results cannot be used on their own and must be considered together with your medical history. You may be referred to an allergy specialist for further detailed assessment.

Currently there are no tests that can diagnose intolerances to foods, food additives, chemicals and some medicines such as aspirin.

Unproven allergy tests

There are several methods that claim to test for allergy.  These include cytotoxic food testing, kinesiology, Vega testing, pulse testing, reflexology and hair analysis. These tests have not been scientifically validated and may lead you to take unnecessary, costly and (in the case of some changes in diet) dangerous avoidance strategies.

The use of these tests is not advised.

Skin prick tests

Skin prick tests:

• are the most sensitive tests for confirming allergic triggers for asthma
• are safe and quick
• should only be performed by a person who has been trained in the procedure and in the interpretation of test results
• are usually performed on the forearm in adults and sometimes on the back in children. If you are allergic to the allergen being tested, a small lump similar to a mosquito bite will appear after 15-20 minutes. Certain medications such as antihistamines need to be stopped for 3-7 days before testing as these will interfere with the results.

Content Updated March 2005