Manage My Allergy

Step 1: Identify the cause (allergy diagnosis)
Your doctor can organise for skin prick tests or blood tests to identify the causative agent
Skin prick testing is the most common way to test for allergies. A small drop of commercially produced allergen extract enters the skin when it is pricked with a lancet. An allergic reaction generally occurs within 20 minutes

Step 2: Avoiding or minimising exposure to the allergen
Once the allergen is identified it is then important to minimise exposure to the allergens.

Step 3: Allergy treatment.
This may be through medication or immunotherapy

Specific allergen immunotherapy or desensitisation occurs when gradually increasing amounts of an allergen are administered (generally by injection) to an allergic individual.

Allergy medication can include:

• Specific mast cell stabilisers (delivered via sprays)
• Corticosteroids
• Antihistamines
• Decongestants