44% of British adults suffer from at least one allergy, with 48% of sufferers having more than one allergy (around 10 million people), which is expected to rise.
Living with allergies can have a tangible impact on the person concerned and even severe health consequences in some cases.
Allergies are common, but they can often be undiagnosed. If you are curious about the symptoms, you are experiencing and are wondering if an allergy might cause you, then a home allergy profile test.
Why do a home allergy test?
If you are not sure exactly what it is that is causing your allergy; then it can be hard to treat those symptoms. A home allergy profile test is one way to determine what might trigger your symptoms. You can do a home allergy profile test easily in the comfort of your own home, and having the correct information can help you to understand and better manage your symptoms.
However, it is essential to remember that home allergy tests are not a substitute for seeing a doctor, particularly if you have symptoms. Your medical history is a crucial link between your home allergy test result and being diagnosed with an allergy. You should not make a diagnosis or start any treatment without a consultation with a doctor or a suitably trained health professional.
Choose your home allergy test wisely.
There are many different home tests for allergies available. If you want a clear idea of what may be causing your symptoms, you need to use the Test2Go allergy profile test as it detects elevated levels of IgE – a science-based method to pinpoint potential allergens. Allergy blood tests performed by medical professionals are based on the same principles as this.
The Allergy Profile test from Test2Go can check for around 300 relevant allergen sources – except for drug allergies such as penicillin. It is the most comprehensive panel test in the UK. Also, it tests for molecular allergens, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of allergic cross-reactions and a risk assessment of food allergies.
What is IgE?
IgE is the shortened version of Immunoglobulin E – an antibody produced by the immune system and an essential piece of information regarding an allergy.
IgE antibodies are vital to the human body’s defence against foreign substances such as parasites. IgE also has a critical role in allergic reactions to things such as house dust mites, insect stings, food and pollen.
Allergic reactions occur when your body sees a harmless substance as a threat, causing your immune system to respond unnecessarily to the trigger. Your body will then produce IgE antibodies specific to the trigger it is trying to fight, telling other cells to release certain chemicals that cause the annoying and life-threatening allergy symptoms.
What do the home allergy test results show?
With the Test2Go Allergy Profile Test, you send your blood sample to our labs for analysis. Everything you need to collect your blood sample from your fingertip is included in the box – along with clear instructions. After your sample has been received at our labs and analysed, you will be able to access your results online – within two working days from receipt of the sample at the testing laboratory.
A home allergy blood test can show you are sensitive to specific allergens by identifying IgE antibodies. The results of a home allergy blood test, even one as comprehensive as the Test2Go Allergy Profile test, are just an indication of a suspected allergy rather than clear-cut proof and so should be treated as the first step in finding out if you have an allergy.
The next step after taking any allergy test is to consult with your doctor. Your medical history and any symptoms you are suffering should be considered in combination with the allergy profile test results to tell if you have an allergy or not.