Skin Prick Allergy Testing in Lahore
A useful allergy test starts with your symptoms, then checks the allergens that may actually explain them.
Australian Polyclinic provides skin prick allergy testing for environmental and selected food allergens. Reactions are usually read about 15 minutes after application, then interpreted with your history by the clinical team. Testing can help guide treatment for nasal allergy, possible allergic asthma and carefully selected food allergy concerns.
What is a skin prick allergy test?
Skin prick testing checks for immediate, IgE-mediated sensitisation. It is a superficial skin test, with no blood draw or injection. A trained professional chooses relevant extracts and uses positive and negative controls to help interpret the response.
Choose
Your symptoms, exposures and medicines help determine which allergens are appropriate to test.
Apply
Small drops are placed on the forearm and the surface is gently pricked through each drop.
Read and discuss
Any raised wheals are measured against the controls after about 15 minutes and interpreted clinically.
What does it feel like? Most people feel brief minor discomfort. A positive site may itch and form a small temporary wheal. The complete appointment takes longer than the 15-minute reading interval.
When may allergy testing be useful?
Testing is most helpful when a symptom pattern suggests a particular exposure. It is selected after clinical assessment, rather than used as a broad screening panel for every patient.
Hay fever and allergic rhinitis
Repeated sneezing, an itchy or blocked nose, watery eyes, or symptoms around dust, pets or vegetation may point to relevant environmental allergens.
Asthma or recurrent wheeze
Identifying sensitisation may help clarify triggers, but a positive skin test does not diagnose asthma. Asthma assessment and lung function tests may be appropriate.
Suspected immediate food allergy
Selected foods may be tested when the history suggests an immediate reaction after eating. A positive food test alone does not establish food allergy and should not prompt unnecessary food avoidance.
Before considering immunotherapy
For persistent, clinically relevant nasal or respiratory allergy, identifying a specific trigger can help determine whether allergen immunotherapy may be suitable.
Which allergens are available?
Depending on the clinical history and selected panel, testing may include house dust mites, grass and weed pollens, other relevant pollens, animal dander, moulds and selected foods. The clinician will advise which extracts are relevant and available for your assessment.
Traffic pollution and Lahore smog can irritate the airways without being an IgE allergy. A skin prick test does not diagnose sensitivity to pollution itself.
How should you prepare?
Some medicines, particularly antihistamines, can suppress the skin response and make a result difficult to interpret. The withholding period varies by medicine; please ask the clinic for individual advice when booking.
Tell us before testing
- All prescription, over-the-counter and allergy medicines you take
- Previous severe allergic reactions or suspected food anaphylaxis
- Unstable asthma, current wheezing or an acute illness
- Extensive eczema or a skin condition at the proposed test site
- Pregnancy or medicines such as beta blockers
Bring to the appointment
- A list of symptoms and when they occur
- Details of suspected foods, pets, seasons or workplace exposures
- Previous allergy tests or respiratory reports, if available
Do not stop prescribed medicine independently. Continue essential asthma treatment unless your treating clinician advises otherwise.
What does a positive result mean?
A positive result indicates sensitisation: the immune system recognises the tested allergen. It does not, by itself, prove that the allergen is the cause of symptoms or that a food must be avoided.
Clinical relevance is the key. The clinician compares the skin response and control results with the timing of symptoms, likely exposure and any reaction history. A negative result also has to be interpreted in context, especially if a medicine interfered with testing.
Skin prick, blood and patch tests answer different questions
| Test | What it helps assess | At this clinic |
|---|---|---|
| Skin prick | Immediate sensitisation to selected environmental or food allergens; read at about 15 minutes. | Performed here after clinical selection. |
| Specific IgE blood test | Evidence of sensitisation when skin testing is unsuitable or additional information is needed; often called “RAST,” though modern methods differ. | Not performed in the clinic; an external laboratory may be used when indicated. |
| Patch test | Delayed contact allergy, such as reactions to some metals or fragrances; it requires later readings. | A different test and not the skin prick test described here. |
Neither a skin prick nor a specific IgE result should be interpreted without the history. A total IgE level alone does not identify the cause of symptoms.
Turning a result into a care plan
Depending on the diagnosis, care may include realistic exposure measures, nasal or eye treatment, asthma review, and follow-up investigation if the result does not explain the symptoms.
Target the relevant trigger
Advice for dust mite, pollen, animal or mould exposure should be practical and tied to a plausible symptom pattern. The goal is useful change, not an indiscriminate list of restrictions.
Consider immunotherapy where appropriate
Australian Polyclinic offers allergen immunotherapy for selected patients with clinically relevant house dust mite, grass pollen or weed pollen allergy. Other preparations may sometimes be requested from the manufacturer and take additional time to obtain. Suitability, risks and the treatment schedule require individual assessment.
For more on the service, see the Allergy Centre in Lahore. Patients with cough or wheezing may also benefit from assessment at the pulmonology service.
Helpful next pages
Frequently asked questions
How long does a skin prick allergy test take?
The allergens are applied to the skin and reactions are generally read after approximately 15 minutes.
Can skin prick testing detect pollen allergy?
Yes. Skin prick testing can assess sensitisation to environmental allergens including selected grass pollens, weed pollens and other relevant pollens.
Can you test for house dust mite allergy?
Yes. House dust mite is an important cause of persistent allergic rhinitis and asthma, and dust mite allergy can be assessed using skin prick testing.
Do you test for food allergies?
Selected food allergens can be tested where clinically appropriate. A positive test should always be interpreted together with the patient's history because sensitisation does not necessarily mean clinically significant food allergy.
Do you perform RAST or IgE blood allergy tests?
Australian Polyclinic currently performs skin prick allergy testing rather than RAST or allergen-specific IgE blood testing within the clinic. Blood testing can be arranged through an external laboratory when clinically indicated.
Do antihistamines interfere with allergy testing?
Yes. Many antihistamines suppress the skin response and may interfere with skin prick testing. Patients should contact the clinic before their appointment for appropriate advice regarding their medication.
Is allergy immunotherapy available?
Yes. Allergen immunotherapy is available for suitable patients with clinically relevant allergy to house dust mites, grass pollens and weed pollens.
Can immunotherapy be arranged for other allergens?
In selected cases, specialised allergen immunotherapy preparations may be requested from the manufacturer. These preparations may require additional time to obtain.
Can allergy testing help people with asthma?
Yes. Environmental allergens such as house dust mites and pollens can trigger or worsen asthma in susceptible individuals. Identifying relevant sensitisation may help guide allergen avoidance and overall asthma management.
Who supervises allergy testing at Australian Polyclinic?
Allergy testing and management at Australian Polyclinic is overseen by Dr G Sarwar Chaudhry, an Australian-trained consultant pulmonologist, sleep physician and allergy specialist.
Arrange an allergy assessment
Tell the team about your symptoms and medicines when you book. We can advise on preparation and whether skin prick testing is likely to be useful for your concern.
First Floor, Building 19, CCA, DHA Phase 5, Lahore · Clinic: Mon–Sat, 2:00–9:00 pm · Dr Sarwar consultations: 4:00–8:00 pm