Millions of people have an allergy to one or more drugs. The reaction that a person has to the medication that they are allergic to depend on the severity of their allergy. If you believe that you have had an allergic reaction to a drug, you should have aTtest to determine drug allergies. Often, patients will report a drug allergy that has never been confirmed. There are many cases where the reason for the symptoms that led them to believe that they were allergic to a medication, had nothing to do with the medication at all. Because there are so many misdiagnosed drug allergies, many patients do not get the care that they need.
How Do Doctors Test For Drug Allergies
There are several ways that a doctor will Test to determine drug allergies.
* Physical Exam: If you believe that you are having an allergic reaction to a drug, the doctor will conduct a physical exam. They will ask you about what you were doing when the symptoms started, and how you were feeling before. The doctor will also ask you about the time that you took the medication, and how the symptoms have improved or worsened. All of the information that you give will give your doctor clues to help them make a diagnosis.
Skin Tests: Skin tests are an excellent tool in diagnosing food and drug allergies. During a skin test, the nurse would poke your skin with a needle containing a very small amount of the suspected drug. If the test is positive, a red, itchy, raised bump will appear. If there is no reaction, the symptoms may have been caused by something else.
Blood Tests: It is not uncommon for a doctor to run a blood test, to rule out any other condition that could be causing the symptoms that you are experiencing.
Results of the Drug Allergy Test
The results of your allergy test will either be positive, and you have a drug allergy or negative, and you do not. If your test does come back positive, there are varying degrees of the allergy. The allergy can be very minor, causing only mild symptoms, or it could be major, causing anaphylaxis or even death.
If you feel that you may be allergic to a medication, you should see a doctor determines whether or not you do have an allergy. Click here for further details.
