Is the single blood test for allergies available?

Answer 1

Well, you still need a scratch test if you're allergic to many things...in fact, I've never heard of a blood test for allergies.

Answer 2

There are 2 types of blood tests available to determine if a person has allergies. One is the total IgE level. People with allergies have elevations in immune globulin E. Elevations in IgE lead to release of histamine when you are exposed to something that you are allergic to and the histamine plays a role in many of the allergic symptoms. The 2nd blood test is referred to as RAST testing. This is where the IgE level to any number of different food, environmental allergens, and drugs is measured. Many physicians - myself included - prefer blood (RAST) testing to skin testing for allergies.

Answer 3

Nope; you have to be tested for the allergies individually. This hasn't changed much over the years. It's the only way to gage exactly what you are allergic to, and to what severity.

Answer 4

My 6 year old son, who is allergic to tree nuts, just got tested again the other day with a skin prick test on his back. In the past on his skin test, he had shown positive for tree nuts, eggs, and shrimp. His tests this time showed negative, even for cashew which the last time he tested for cashew it was showing it would of killed him if he ate one. She repeated the skin test on the other side of his back with cashew only. After no reaction happened she sent us over for blood tests to be on egg whites, yolk, shrimp, and cashews. They took two tubes of blood. One of the tubes looked like it had something in it before the blood started going in it so I don't know if it was something the blood needed to mix with to test for that particular food. I honestly don't think there is a single blood test for allergies, but you might be able to just sit down one time and let them fill up tubes for all that you think you are allergic to, but it would be best to start with a skin prick test in my opinion. Good luck.