The spring season, which is starting to make itself felt, makes most of us happy. However, spring season for allergy sufferers; Pollen flying everywhere, runny nose, sneezing, redness and itching in the eyes mean sleepless nights and fatigue that continues for the day. Pollen allergy, which starts with the spring season in adults, is a serious health problem that affects both health and social life of people and impairs their quality of life. Pollen allergy is not only in the form of runny nose, itching and sneezing, but unfortunately it brings other health problems in the future. Adults with pollen allergy require allergy testing to be diagnosed. We tried to answer for you what should be done for the diagnosis of pollen allergy and how the tests will be done.
Why is pollen allergy diagnosis important?
Runny nose, congestion, itching and sneezing one after another may not always be pollen. When you go to the allergy specialists, it will be diagnosed whether your complaints are allergic or related to other diseases. Once you are diagnosed with pollen allergy, your treatment will change and other diseases such as advanced asthma can be prevented. Therefore, it is important to diagnose pollen allergy.
What should be checked for the diagnosis of pollen allergy?
It is important for pollen allergy that the symptoms of runny nose, congestion, itching and sneezing one after another occur at the same time each year due to the spread of pollen in the environment with the arrival of spring.
For the diagnosis of pollen allergy in adults, after a careful history is taken, a general examination of the patient should be performed and examination should be performed for other accompanying diseases. As asthma may be associated with pollen allergy, respiratory system examination, ear discharge may be sinusitis and pharyngitis, upper respiratory tract should be checked. Careful nasal examination should be done. It should also be examined in terms of eczema, which may be associated with pollen allergy.
What tests are used to diagnose pollen allergy?
Some tests are done to diagnose pollen allergy in adults. The most important of these tests are allergy skin tests. Allergy tests can be done at any age, but for the diagnosis of pollen allergy, it can be done in all adults after 2-3 years of age. For allergy testing, skin tests, which we call skin prick tests, are mostly preferred, but sometimes allergy tests can be done from blood in patients who cannot be tested. Skin tests give more accurate results.
Pollens should be evaluated one by one in patients whose complaints start with the spring. It is extremely important for the allergy vaccines to be started to reveal the patient’s complaint with which pollen or allergen in the tests we perform while diagnosing pollen allergy. Therefore, allergy skin tests should be performed and evaluated by allergy specialists.
Apart from the allergy test, sometimes snot analysis, blood test and pulmonary function tests may be required in suspected allergic asthma.
Diagnosing Pollen Allergy Requires Experience
Adults with Pollen Allergy complaints are not diagnosed with just one test. Diagnosis is a condition that should be evaluated as a whole. Pollen allergy symptoms should be evaluated together with history and allergy tests and other tests and a definitive diagnosis should be made. If there is incompatibility in the skin tests performed with the patient’s complaints, it is necessary to benefit from other tests and examinations. The allergens used in the diagnosis of Pollen Allergy and the positive response in skin tests against these allergens are very important for the long-term treatment of the patient. Experience and education are very important in making this diagnosis and planning treatment.
