Allergies and hypersensitivities are the body’s way of overreacting to a specific substance. This overreaction can cause a variety of symptoms from a mild runny nose, to body pain and dysfunction, to the more serious narrowing of your airway. However, because some allergens can cause symptoms that are not immediately noticeable, you may not know that you have certain allergies or hypersensitivities. At the Alternative Health Center of the Woodlands, we provide allergy/hypersensitivity testing services to detect possible allergens so that you can avoid them and live a better life. This is done through a combination of muscle response testing and blood sampling with a simple finger prick.
Did You Know?
There are three different types of allergens: inhaled, ingested, and contacted: Inhaled allergens must come in contact with the nostrils, throat, or lungs. Ingested allergens are those consumed in certain foods. Finally, contact allergens must touch your skin to cause a reaction.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I need an allergy test?
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, allergies currently affect an estimated 50 million Americans. Hypersensitivities make the numbers significantly higher. Therefore, it is helpful to determine if you are a part of this group to avoid potentially dangerous allergic reactions. Other symptoms that can indicate allergies or hypersensitivities are: gas, digestive bloating, skin irritation, redness, diarrhea, anxiety, emotional responses, burping, and itching.
Do I need to prepare for my allergy test?
Before your allergy test is administered, Dr. Clouthier will discuss your lifestyle, medical history, current medications, and family history and dietary habits. Certain types of medications can affect the outcome of the test, so he will likely tell you to temporarily pause these medications in preparation for your allergy/hypersensitivity test.
What can I expect when getting an allergy test?
Your allergy/hypersensitivity test will use either blood testing or muscle response testing or both. The blood droplets will be introduced onto a stable testing card which will be analyzed by a lab. The results will then be given a grade of 0-4 based on the reactivity to the food allergen. With environmental and inhaled allergens, these items can be tested using manual muscle testing and “cleared” using allergy desensitization techniques that have developed within the technique of Applied Kinesiology.
What happens after my allergy test?
Your test card will be sent off to our lab for analysis, and the results are usually returned within 2-3 weeks. Once the test results are received, you will receive a report detailing the values for each item. We will then go over the results, and help you structure a plan for the elimination of the offending food allergens based on your unique results. With the inhaled or contacted sensitivities, these will be cleared using MMT and structured order of clearing will be developed based on the number and intensity of each reaction while using the technique. Our testing is completely safe because none of the actual allergens is actually entered into the body’s system, unlike scratch or needle testing.
Your doctor will discuss your results with you and together you can develop a treatment plan. This can include the following: nutritional supplements, enzymes, herbal and homeopathic detoxifying remedies, cold laser treatment, food elimination plans, and emotional release techniques if there are emotional correlations with the allergen or sensitivity.