Hay Fever - Diagnosis

When to see a healthcare professional?

Many people get used to hay fever symptoms, so they might not seek treatment until the symptoms become severe. But getting the right treatment is crucial to avoid complications. Ideally, you should see a healthcare professional, the moment you suffer the symptoms of hay fever. However, more so, if:

• You are unable to get relief from your hay fever symptoms for a long time
• Allergy medications don't provide relief or cause annoying side-effects
• You have another condition that can worsen hay fever symptoms, such as nasal polyps, asthma or frequent sinus infections.

To diagnose hay fever, our homeopaths will perform a physical exam, will look at your symptoms and ask questions about your personal and family medical history.

If needed, they may suggest you skin and blood tests to see how your body reacts to certain substances. The tests may include -

• Skin prick test: This test uses a small amount of purified allergen extract that is pricked into the skin of your arm and then it is observed for any signs of an allergic reaction. Positive test for this test would be a raised bump at the tested site that will confirm your allergy to the injected substance.
• Blood test: In this test, a sample of blood will be taken from your body and tested for the presence of the Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody). If you have hay fever, your body produces this antibody when it comes into contact with allergen. If your blood tests positive for IgE, this may confirm that you have hay fever.