Food Panel 2 Allergy Test (Diagnosing Food Allergies)

Food Panel 2 Allergy Test

This is a combination of tests that helps to diagnose allergy to certain food items. This test is also called food hypersensitivity testing. Food allergy is a medical condition in which body is allergic to certain foods. Whenever you eat those foods body develops various grades of immune response to them. This response can differ from mild reaction to severe life threatening anaphylactic shock.

Food allergy is usually present in children .This allergy may resolve as the child grows older but sometimes it can be present throughout the life. The various symptoms of food allergy can be categorised as follows:

• Symptoms related to skin-itching, tingling, hives, skin rashes, swelling of lips and other parts of the body
• Symptoms related to digestive system-abdominal pain, loose motions, vomiting, metallic taste in mouth, swelling /itching on tongue
• Symptoms related to respiratory system-coughing, wheezing, difficulty in breathing, chest tightness, nasal congestion.
• Anaphylactic shock-it is the most severe manifestation of food allergy and includes the following symptoms: fainting, dizziness, difficulty breathing, airway tightness, rapid swelling of lips tongue and throat. It can even be fatal if not treated on time.

The foods which are mostly responsible for food allergy are fish, peanuts, egg white, wheat, milk and soybean. The only treatment of food allergy is to avoid the foods that are responsible for food allergy.

Dairy allergy test is defined as testing for allergy to milk and milk products. It is also called milk allergen test.

Wheat allergy test is an allergic reaction to wheat and wheat products.

Why is food panel allergy test prescribed?

Your health care provider may ask you to undergo this test for diagnosing food allergies in certain conditions such as:

• 1. If there is positive family history of food allergy
• 2. If you have other food allergy
• 3. .presence of Asthma
• 4. If you have other forms of allergy like eczema or hay fever

What are the components of food intolerance test?

The food allergy test is conducted by an allergist. He will first ask all your symptoms and physical examination. Then he will conduct certain tests like

 

1-skin prick test-in which small amount of allergic food is put on skin of your forearm. Then a small prick is made on the skin at that site .if there is redness and itching at that site it means you have food allergy.

2-oral challenge test-in which small amount of food is given by mouth in form of capsule. If you develop allergic symptoms it means you have allergy.

3 -elimination diet-here all suspected allergic foods are eliminated from the diet and then gradually introduced to find out which food causes allergic reaction.

4-IgE blood test-here levels of this antibody are measured in blood sample. This level will be high if you have food allergy.

 

Procedure and prerequisites

The sample for Ige test is taken from blood by inserting small needle into vein of your arm. A slight amount of blood is then collected in test tube or vial. You may feel some pain due to needle prick. No special preparations are required. You can resume your work immediately.