Testing Specialist

When should I schedule a diagnostic testing appointment?

It’s vital to schedule diagnostic testing for new symptoms that aren’t getting better with home care and rest.

If you have an existing condition, like chronic allergies or asthma, you should schedule diagnostic testing if your symptoms are getting worse even with your current treatment.

Which diagnostic tests are available?

Because many health conditions cause symptoms that are similar to each other, diagnostic testing is beneficial for accurately determining what condition you have. This information is important for creating the right treatment plan.

Suburban Allergy Consultants offers several on-site testing options for diagnosing conditions like:

• Asthma
• Eczema
• Drug allergies
• Food allergies
• Sinus infections
• Seasonal allergies
• Bee sting allergies

These tests can also identify the cause of unexplained symptoms, like hives, nasal congestion, and angioedema (swelling).

What’s involved in diagnostic testing?

There is a variety of options when it comes to testing for allergies, asthma, or another condition. Suburban Allergy Consultants performs the following tests on-site to diagnose patients quickly and start an effective treatment.

Skin tests

To identify allergies to drugs, pollen, mold, and other environmental substances, the team at Suburban Allergy Consultants offers in-office skin tests. This procedure involves pricking your skin with small amounts of suspected allergens to evaluate your body’s reaction. In a positive skin test that confirms an allergy, a raised, itchy bump forms on the injection site. This test provides same-day results to confirm your diagnosis quickly.

Food allergy challenge test

Identifying food allergies typically involves a food challenge test where you eat small amounts of a possible food trigger under the close supervision of the Suburban Allergy Consultants team. They may also conduct skin tests where your provider pricks your skin with suspected food allergens to gauge your body’s reaction. 

Eliminating certain foods from your diet and adding them back in gradually can also identify food allergies. Your Suburban Allergy Consultants provider works with you on a food diary and an elimination diet to identify possible triggers of a food allergy.

Lung function test

If you have symptoms, like wheezing or other signs of asthma, the Suburban Allergy Consultants team offers on-site lung function tests. These tests involve breathing into a machine that measures how much and how well you can move air in and out of your lungs. 

Nitric oxide test

An exhaled nitric oxide test measures a sample of your breath to identify inflammation in your lungs that may indicate an infection or a chronic condition, like asthma.

Rhinolaryngoscopy

If you have chronic nasal congestion, the Suburban Allergy Consultants team may recommend a rhinolaryngoscopy. This minimally invasive procedure uses a slender, flexible scope with an attached camera to explore the inner structures of your nasal cavity to identify inflammation or blockages.

To learn more about the diagnostic testing options available at Suburban Allergy Consultants , call the office nearest you today or request an appointment online.