Allergy Profile
The Allergy Profile is a comprehensive allergy test designed to give you a detailed understanding of your allergic status by creating a sensitization profile against approximately 300 allergens. This test evaluates your immune response to a wide range of potential triggers, helping to identify what you’re allergic to and how your body reacts.
What the Allergy Profile Measures
The test includes two key components:
- Total IgE: This measures the overall level of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in your blood. IgE is a type of antibody produced by your immune system when it encounters allergens. A higher total IgE level may suggest a general tendency toward allergic reactions, though it doesn’t pinpoint specific triggers.
- Specific IgE: This measures IgE antibodies produced in response to particular allergens. The Allergy Profile tests for specific IgE against two types of allergen sources:
- Purified Extracts: These are mixtures of allergens from broad sources like pollen, food, dust mites, or animal dander. Testing with purified extracts helps detect sensitization to a general category of allergens.
- Molecular Components: These are individual proteins isolated from allergen sources. By testing for these specific proteins, the profile can precisely identify the exact triggers of your allergic response, which is especially useful for distinguishing between similar allergens (e.g., different types of pollen).
The test includes two key components:
- Total IgE: This measures the overall level of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in your blood. IgE is a type of antibody produced by your immune system when it encounters allergens. A higher total IgE level may suggest a general tendency toward allergic reactions, though it doesn’t pinpoint specific triggers.
- Specific IgE: This measures IgE antibodies produced in response to particular allergens. The Allergy Profile tests for specific IgE against two types of allergen sources:
- Purified Extracts: These are mixtures of allergens from broad sources like pollen, food, dust mites, or animal dander. Testing with purified extracts helps detect sensitization to a general category of allergens.
- Molecular Components: These are individual proteins isolated from allergen sources. By testing for these specific proteins, the profile can precisely identify the exact triggers of your allergic response, which is especially useful for distinguishing between similar allergens (e.g., different types of pollen).
How It Works
The Allergy Profile tests against around 300 allergens, covering common triggers such as foods, pollens, dust mites, and animal dander, as well as less common ones. This extensive scope ensures a thorough evaluation of your allergic sensitivities. The result is a sensitization profile, which shows which allergens your immune system has produced IgE antibodies against. Sensitization means your body is primed to react to those allergens, potentially causing symptoms like sneezing, itching, or more severe reactions upon future exposure.
The Allergy Profile tests against around 300 allergens, covering common triggers such as foods, pollens, dust mites, and animal dander, as well as less common ones. This extensive scope ensures a thorough evaluation of your allergic sensitivities. The result is a sensitization profile, which shows which allergens your immune system has produced IgE antibodies against. Sensitization means your body is primed to react to those allergens, potentially causing symptoms like sneezing, itching, or more severe reactions upon future exposure.
Why It’s Valuable
By combining total IgE and specific IgE testing, the Allergy Profile provides:
- A broad overview of your allergic tendencies (via total IgE).
- Detailed insights into specific triggers (via specific IgE testing with purified extracts and molecular components).
This dual approach makes it a powerful tool for diagnosing allergies and guiding management strategies, such as avoiding certain allergens or pursuing targeted treatments like immunotherapy.
In summary, the Allergy Profile offers a holistic and precise view of your allergic status, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to understand and manage their allergies effectively.
By combining total IgE and specific IgE testing, the Allergy Profile provides:
- A broad overview of your allergic tendencies (via total IgE).
- Detailed insights into specific triggers (via specific IgE testing with purified extracts and molecular components).
This dual approach makes it a powerful tool for diagnosing allergies and guiding management strategies, such as avoiding certain allergens or pursuing targeted treatments like immunotherapy.
In summary, the Allergy Profile offers a holistic and precise view of your allergic status, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to understand and manage their allergies effectively.
