Even though<unk>  testing may seem to be a benign procedure, it does have some risks, including swollen red bumps (hives) which may occur after the test. The hives usually disappear in a few hours after the test. In rare cases they can persist for a day or two. These hives may be itchy and are best treated by applying an over the counter hydrocortisone cream. In very rare cases one may develop a full blown<unk> c reaction. Physicians who perform<unk>  test always have equipment and medications available in case an anaphylaxis reaction occurs. This is the main reason why people should not get<unk>  testing performed at corner stores or by people who have no medical training. Antihistamines, which are commonly used to treat<unk>  symptoms, interfere with<unk>  tests, as they can prevent the<unk>  from reacting to the<unk> ns being tested. People who take an antihistamine need either to choose a different form of<unk>  test or to stop taking the antihistamine temporarily before the test. The period of time needed can range from a day or two to 10 days or longer, depending on the specific medication. Some medications not primarily used as antihistamines, including tricyclic antidepressants, phenothiazine-based antipsychotics, and several kinds of medications used for gastrointestinal disorders, can similarly interfere with<unk>  tests. People who have severe, generalized<unk>  disease or an acute<unk>  infection should not undergo<unk>  testing, as one needs uninvolved<unk>  for testing. Also,<unk>  testing should be avoided for people at a heightened risk of anaphylactic shock, including people who are known to be highly sensitive to even the smallest amount of<unk> n. Besides<unk>  tests, there are blood tests which measure a specific antibody in the blood. The IgE antibody plays a vital role in<unk> es but its levels in blood do not always correlate with the<unk> c reaction. There are many alternative health care practitioners who perform a variety of provocation neutralization tests, but the vast majority of these tests have no validity and have never been proven to work scientifically.
Skin allergy test
Allergy test
Patch test
Chemosensitivity assay
Radioallergosorbent test
Contact activation system
Nasal provocation test
Bronchial challenge test