Allergy Testing 

Your visit may include allergy skin testing to identify your triggers (ie. pollen, animal dander, foods, etc…). Although blood testing for allergies is an alternative, blood testing requires needles for the lab draw, a trip to the lab facility, an approximate one-week wait for results, and possibly less accuracy of results compared to skin testing.

We standardly start allergy testing with the “skin prick” method.  We use plastic tips that contain a small amount of the suspected substance and are then applied onto the superficial layer of the skin.  These are not needles and most people describe the test like “bristles on a hairbrush.”  Prick testing is usually performed on the back (or arms) and results are read 20 minutes later.  Positive reactions include localized itching, swelling or redness at the site of testing.  The number of items tested depends upon the patient’s size and clinical history.

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If you are scheduled for allergy skin testing, please refrain from taking any antihistamine medications for 5 days prior to your visit because they may interfere with test results.   Antihistamine List

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The following non-antihistamine medications may be taken prior to allergy skin testing.    Non-antihistamine List

We perform various types of lung function testing to help with asthma diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of progress.  Spirometry evaluates airway function in real time. Exhaled nitric oxide can determine how much lung inflammation is present in uncontrolled asthma. Peak flow meters are a portable way to monitor lung function progress. There are multiple sub-types of asthma that may require uniquely different treatment interventions, and we will help you compile an optimal treatment plan based on lung function results, medical history, and personal lifestyle.