Allergy Testing
Brentview Medical provides complete allergy testing services in our convenient Brentwood and West Hollywood locations.
The Basics
The most common type of allergy testing is a skin test because it yields such quick results. During a skin test, small drops of allergen extracts are placed beneath the skin via a small needle prick, usually on the back or the forearm. Using the most advanced techniques, Brentview Medical’s physicians and technicians test for up to 60 allergens, including environmental agents, trees, grass, weeds and pollen, mold, dust, pet dander, and food ingredients commonly associated with food allergies. You and your doctor can discuss beforehand which allergens should be tested. Within 15 to 20 minutes, if you are allergic to a particular allergen, you will experience symptoms such as a raised, red itchy bump, similar to a mosquito bite, at the site of the test. Aside from the potential of itching due to an allergic reaction, allergy skin tests are largely painless.
In addition to skin testing, Brentview Medical Urgent Care offers a very comprehensive food allergy test done via a blood draw. This food sensitivity test, called the ALCAT (Antigen Leukocyte Cellular Antibody Test) is appropriate for anyone who has a history of upset stomach after eating certain foods. Please ask your physician about the ALCAT food allergy test if you are interested in learning more about what foods you may be sensitive to.
Who Should Be Tested?
Adults and children who have symptoms that suggest they may have an allergic disease are good candidates for allergy testing. Common allergy symptoms include the following:
- Respiratory symptoms, including itchy eyes, nose, or throat, nasal and/or chest congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, and wheezing
- Skin symptoms, including hives, itchiness, or redness.
- Other possible symptoms include anaphylaxis, abdominal issues, and stinging insect reactions beyond the typical local swelling and redness at the bite site.
Why Get Tested?
Determining the cause of your allergies is the first step towards effective management. Our physicians and staff will help provide you with specific information about your allergies and sensitivities. Once we have identified the specific allergens causing your symptoms, your physician can develop a specific allergy treatment that will help control and potentially eliminate your allergy symptoms. Better sleep, easier breathing, and more days spent outside are all possible when your allergies are identified and managed.
What allergens are tested?
Trees:
- Golden Acacia
- Box Elder/Maple Mix
- Red Alder
- Birch Mix
- Olive Tree
- White Ash
- Black Walnut
- Mountain Cedar
- Pine Mix
- American Sycamore
- Cottonwood
- Oak Mix
- Chinese Elm
- Eucalyptus
- Mesquite
- California Pepper Tree
- Mulberry Mix
- Bottlebrush
- Black Willow
Grasses:
- Ryegrass (Perennial)
- Johnson
- Bermuda
Weeds:
- Careless Pigweed
- Ragweed (GSW Mix)
- Mugwort Sage
- Shad (Wing) Scale
- Lambs Quarters
- Marshelder/Poverty Mix
- Kochia
- English Plantain
- Sorrel Dock
- Russian Thistle
- Common Cocklebur
Molds:
- Alternaria tenuis
- Aspergillus fumigatus
- Helminthosporium interseminatum
- Hormodendrum interseminatum
- Penicillium
- Rhizopus Nigricans
- Epicoccum
- Candida
Environmental Allergens:
- Dog
- Cat Pelt
- Feather Mix
- Horse hair
- House Dust
- Cockroach
- Dust Mites (Df & Dp)
Foods:
- Peanut
- Beef
- Chicken
- Milk
- Orange
- Fish (Codfish, Tuna, Halibut, etc.)
- Whole Wheat
- Almond
- Cashew Nut
- Shellfish
For more information on how to approach a dust mite or mold allergy, please view the following: