Allergy Testing - Issaquah, WA
Allergy Testing Is a Safe and Painless Way to Identify the Cause of Your Allergies
Discover a precise and effective way to identify allergies through skin prick testing at Cascade Integrative Medicine in Issaquah, WA. Skin prick testing is a commonly used method to determine allergic sensitivities by introducing small amounts of allergens into the skin. Our doctors utilize this diagnostic tool to accurately identify allergies, guiding the development of personalized treatment plans that can significantly improve your quality of life by effectively managing allergies and related symptoms. Explore our comprehensive skin prick testing services to take the first step towards a life with fewer allergic challenges.
Allergy Testing Identifies Allergens That Can Make Life Miserable
Let’s face it, allergies are no fun. Fortunately, CIM offers allergy testing for patients in Issaquah, Sammamish, and nearby communities. Whether it be an allergy to milk, cat hair, or a seasonal allergy, allergy symptoms can sabotage your plans without warning. Even worse, allergies can last a lifetime. Our allergy testing and immunotherapy will give you your freedom back and allow you to say goodbye to allergy medications once and for all.
Our Allergy Skin Test Identifies the Most Common Allergies in the PNW
According to the latest allergy research, more than 50 million Americans are allergic to at least one common allergen, and allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the United States. The type of allergen you may be exposed to differs by geographical region. That’s why our testing panel comprises 60 of the most common allergens right here in the Pacific Northwest. Allergy testing is non-invasive, pain-free and performed on the surface of your skin with results available in minutes.
Say Goodbye to Allergy Medications Forever
Once the allergies are identified, allergy immunotherapy is used to gradually retrain your immune system not to overreact to the offending allergen. Immunotherapy may involve allergen injections or sublingual (under the tongue) therapy and is usually covered by most insurance plans.
Say Goodbye to Allergy Medications Forever
Once the allergies are identified, allergy immunotherapy is used to gradually retrain your immune system not to overreact to the offending allergen. Immunotherapy may involve allergen injections or sublingual (under the tongue) therapy and is usually covered by most insurance plans.
Allergy Testing and Immunotherapy: What to Expect
The Allergy Skin Test
Our allergy testing protocol is quick and painless with results available in about 30 minutes. The allergy test is performed by skin prick, in which the patient’s skin is gently scratched in a separate spot with each of the 60 environmental allergens in our allergy testing panel. The panel of allergens is typically applied to the patient’s back. The environmental allergens have been carefully selected to comprise those which are most common in the Pacific Northwest. If there is an immune reaction, the spot of the scratch will produce a wheal (a small, raised area of inflammation). When a wheal is significantly greater in size than the negative control, an allergic reaction has been detected. Each test also includes a positive control (histamine), to assure the procedure is performed correctly.
The Allergy Skin Test
Our allergy testing protocol is quick and painless with results available in about 30 minutes. The allergy test is performed by skin prick, in which the patient’s skin is gently scratched in a separate spot with each of the 60 environmental allergens in our allergy testing panel. The panel of allergens is typically applied to the patient’s back. The environmental allergens have been carefully selected to comprise those which are most common in the Pacific Northwest. If there is an immune reaction, the spot of the scratch will produce a wheal (a small, raised area of inflammation). When a wheal is significantly greater in size than the negative control, an allergic reaction has been detected. Each test also includes a positive control (histamine), to assure the procedure is performed correctly.
Allergen Immunotherapy
If allergy testing reveals one or more allergies, an allergen cocktail comprising all of the offending allergens is prepared. The preparation of this mixture is outsourced to a laboratory that specializes in allergen preparations. The final allergen mix is then sent to our office and stored for use throughout the course of the patient’s immunotherapy.
Immunotherapy involves a series of intramuscular injections over a period of time in which the offending allergen is injected at gradually increasing concentrations. By introducing the allergen slowly, the patient’s immune system is reprogrammed not to over-react to the allergen when it is exposed to it again.