My name is Melinda Johnson and I suffered with foot pain for many years. I went to see a podiatrist and after an examination, I was told that I had heel spur syndrome. I followed the recommendations of my doctor by doing at home treatments along with physical therapy. I was amazed at how much these treatments helped my foot pain. Living with pain can have a big impact on your life and that's why I started this blog. My foot pain kept me from doing many things that I enjoy and I want to help others who are going through the same situation. As you browse through my blog, you'll learn about home treatments, medical procedures and new advancements in medicine that can help reduce pain. It is my hope that by writing this blog, you can live pain free too.
Loving My Pain Free Life
Don't Let These Myths Deter You From Being Tested For Allergies
Claire Roberts
There are so many people walking around with allergies who do not know what is triggering their allergies. This may not seem like a big deal at first, but if you don't know what you're allergic to, you can't very well avoid that allergen. And while your allergies may be mild right now, they may become more serious at any point — and if they do get serious, it's really nice to know which substances you need to pull away from.
All of this is to say that allergy testing is important. But unfortunately, a few common myths keep a lot of people from pursuing allergy testing like they should.
Myth: Allergy testing is painful.
You've probably heard that allergy tests involve pricking your skin with needles that contain various allergens. This certainly doesn't sound pleasant, but the idea that it's painful is a complete myth. All you'll really feel as the allergens are applied to your skin is little pricks. And even as your body starts to react to the allergens, you can expect mild itching and discomfort. When it's all over, your allergist can apply a steroid cream that calms the itching right down, and you can go about your day. The test is not even as painful as getting a vaccine, so don't let fear of pain stop you from getting tested.
Myth: Allergy testing is dangerous and can send you into anaphylactic shock.
There is some risk of this happening, but that risk is very, very small. It is incredibly unlikely that you will go into anaphylaxis during allergy testing because the concentration of allergens applied to your skin is so low, and because the doctor will be there to counteract any allergic responses before they have a chance to get to that level. The risk of going into anaphylaxis is much higher if you don't know what you're allergic to and therefore can't get away from it. An allergy test will prevent you from being in this situation.
Myth: Allergy tests are only for food allergies.
It is very common for people to go in for allergy testing when they have food allergies. People with seasonal allergies don't seek allergy testing as often because they usually just assume they're allergic to pollen or mold. However, allergy testing is available for seasonal allergens, and it is a very good idea to get tested if you have seasonal allergies. Knowing which types of pollen and mold you are specifically allergic to will allow you to make better determinations as to when you should stay inside, take your allergy meds, and take other precautions.
Allergy testing is for patients with all kinds of allergies. It does not hurt, and the risk of anaphylactic shock during a test is very, very low. Don't let these myths scare you away from the testing you need.
To learn more, reach out to an allergy testing service in your area.
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