Diagnosis

To diagnose an allergy, your doctor will ask you about the type and intensity of your symptoms. Particular attention will be paid to the organs affected, the location, and the time of onset of symptoms. The doctor may also ask questions about known or suspected allergies in the family may also be asked during the medical history interview.

Documenting your symptoms, for example, in the Patients Hay-fever Diary, can greatly improve the accuracy of the diagnosis.

Most medical specialists use this diagnostic method to determine which allergens a patient is reacting to. Various extracts are applied to the inside of the forearm. The skin is then minimally punctured to allow the allergen to get under the skin. If the reaction is positive, a wheal and redness appear on the skin after 15-20 minutes. A positive result indicates sensitisation to the allergen tested but not an allergy! A doctor can only diagnose an allergy in conjunction with existing symptoms.

The test is quick, virtually painless and well-tolerated even by young children.

In addition, or as an alternative, sensitisation can be determined by taking a blood sample. Several allergens can be tested at the same time using the so-called IgE titer determination.

Depending on the diagnosis, patients are usually offered the following options for managing their allergy:

• Allergen avoidance
• Medical therapy
• Immunotherapy (hyposensitisation)
• Alternative therapies

Important: Untreated allergic rhinitis can lead to other allergies and even allergic asthma.