- Q. What are
allergies?
- A.
An allergy is the result of a person’s overactive immune system,
reacting to usually harmless things. The substances that cause
allergic reactions are known as allergens. Your body thinks
the allergen is an invader and makes antibodies to attack it. People
who have allergies have an antibody called Immunoglobulin E,
or IgE. When allergens first contact the body of a person
with allergies, allergen-specific IgE antibodies are produced. Each
type of IgE has specific "radar" for one type of allergen only.
That’s why some people are allergic to cats only (they have only the
IgE antibodies specific to cat) and others seem to be allergic to
everything.
When a person with allergies comes
in contact with an allergen, his or her body will show symptoms of
an allergic reaction, such as swelling of tissues, sneezing,
wheezing, coughing, a runny nose, itchy eyes, and other reactions.
A person with antibodies to a specific allergen is commonly referred
to as being “allergic” to that allergen.
- Q. What allergens
are tested with MyAllergyTest?
- A. Your
blood sample will be tested for the following allergens: House dust
Mite, Cat, Timothy Grass, Bermuda Grass, Mountain Cedar, Short
Ragweed, Alternaria (mold), Milk, Egg White, and Wheat.
-
- Q. Who should do
MyAllergyTest?
- A. Anyone
wanting to know if they are “allergic” to the ten most common
allergens should do MyAllergyTest. This test is made especially for
you, the general public.
-
- Q. Why is it
important to know what I am allergic to?
- A. To
help you better manage your allergy symptoms, you must first know
what is causing your allergy. For instance, you don’t have to get
rid of your cat if you are allergic to milk, and you don’t need to
avoid pollens all year if you have a seasonal allergy to ragweed.
MyAllergyTest gives you more information. Once you know the specific
allergens causing your symptoms, you can:
1. Avoid exposure to the allergens;
2. Contact your physician to get specific medical treatment.
An accurate allergy test, such as MyAllergyTest, is an important
part of allergy diagnosis, when used together with advice from your
Healthcare Provider.
-
- Q. How accurate is
MyAllergyTest?
- A. MyAllergyTest
is as accurate as other standard laboratory testing systems. The
MyAllergyTest laboratory tests your blood with a Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) cleared allergy testing method. Unlike tests
that provide only a “Yes” or “No” answer, MyAllergyTest gives you a
“CLASS” number which matches your level of allergic response.
MyAllergyTest also gives you ImmuneTech Units per milliliter (IU/mL).
Some doctors may use these test results to track the progress of
allergy treatment.
-
- Q. If my test
results are negative, does that mean I am not allergic?
-
A. No.
MyAllergyTest tests for 10 of the most common allergens. While a
completely negative test result is strong evidence that you are not
allergic to any of the most common allergens, it is possible that
you will be allergic to a less common, or even rare, allergen.
