An allergenis a substance that causes an allergic reaction. Some examples of common allergens aredust mites, cat dander, and pollen. Sometimes people can have severe allergic reactions to these substances that can lead to breathing problems (including seriousasthmaexacerbations) and even death. More often, they cause bothersome symptoms such as runny nose,congestion, and watery eyes.
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Detecting The Allergen That’s Making You Sick
Skin-prick testing involves placing a series of drops of allergen extracts such as pollen, dander, and molds while simultaneously pricking those spots with a needle. Then, you’ll wait 15 minutes to see if a reaction develops in comparison to a positive control (histamine) and a negative control (saline).
Specific IgE testing, (also called ImmunoCAP), can help your healthcare provider diagnose the allergens that are causing your symptoms.IgE is an immunoglobulin, a protein that acts as part of our immune system, detecting foreign substances such as bacteria and allergens. IgE tends to overreact in response to an allergen; this results in a detectable sensitization that can manifest as an allergy.
Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor about these specific blood tests and if they could help with your treatment plan. Dr. Reinhardt recommends that patients become familiar with their lab results. “Patients should know their IgE levels the same way that diabetics know their blood sugar or some people know their cholesterol,” he says. Once you’ve discoveredwhatyou are allergic to, you can start to eliminate it.
The Best At-Home Allergy Tests for Quick, Reliable Results
Removing the Allergen From Your Environment
Your healthcare provider should be able to assist you with methods for eliminating or reducing the amount of exposure to the allergen that triggers your symptoms. There are many options. You can also buy several types of commercially available products to test your home forcommon allergens and molds. However, these tests are very controversial because they are expensive and don’t end up providing enough specific treatable information.
Keep the Bedroom an Allergy Safe Zone
According to Dr. Reinhardt, the most important place to get rid of allergens is in the bedroom. Most people spend six to 12 hours in the bedroom sleeping, so it is important to make this a “safe zone.” But removing allergens is sometimes easier said than done.
Let’s say you have a pet dander allergy. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, this might mean that you just need to keep your pet out of the bedroom, and you may need to regularly deep-clean the room thoroughly to get rid of residual pet dander, including all of your bedding.Vacuuming regularly, steam cleaning and dry cleaning may be necessary.
If these measures fail and you’re really suffering, it may be necessary to find a new home. Let your healthcare provider be your guide.
Moldcan be difficult to remove. Mold grows in moist areas, it may have grown in an area where you have had water damage from plumbing problems or flooding. Sometimes it grows because the air is so humid; again a dehumidifier may be helpful. The first step in removing mold is to make sure that everything is dried out.
For mold growth larger than 10 square feet, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says homeowners should follow the guidelines for removing mold in their article onmold remediation in schools and commercial buildings.
A Word From Verywell
Everything You Need to Know About Indoor Allergies
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Siles RI, Hsieh FH.Allergy blood testing: A practical guide for clinicians.Cleve Clin J Med. 2011;78(9):585-92. doi:10.3949/ccjm.78a.11023American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Pet allergy.American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Dust allergy.Environmental Protection Agency.Mold cleanup in your home.Additional ReadingReinhardt R.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Siles RI, Hsieh FH.Allergy blood testing: A practical guide for clinicians.Cleve Clin J Med. 2011;78(9):585-92. doi:10.3949/ccjm.78a.11023American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Pet allergy.American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Dust allergy.Environmental Protection Agency.Mold cleanup in your home.Additional ReadingReinhardt R.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Siles RI, Hsieh FH.Allergy blood testing: A practical guide for clinicians.Cleve Clin J Med. 2011;78(9):585-92. doi:10.3949/ccjm.78a.11023American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Pet allergy.American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Dust allergy.Environmental Protection Agency.Mold cleanup in your home.
Siles RI, Hsieh FH.Allergy blood testing: A practical guide for clinicians.Cleve Clin J Med. 2011;78(9):585-92. doi:10.3949/ccjm.78a.11023
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Pet allergy.
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Dust allergy.
Environmental Protection Agency.Mold cleanup in your home.
Reinhardt R.
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