Unreliable tests: There are other types of allergy testing methods that are unreliable, including applied kinesiology (allergy testing through muscle relaxation), cytotoxicity testing, urine autoinjection, skin titration (Rinkel method), and provocative and neutralization (subcutaneous) testing or sublingual provocation. Differential diagnosis
Before a diagnosis of allergic disease can be confirmed, other plausible causes of the presenting symptoms should be considered. Vasomotor rhinitis, for example, is one of many illnesses that share symptoms with allergic rhinitis, underscoring the need for professional differential diagnosis. Once a diagnosis of asthma, rhinitis, anaphylaxis, or other allergic disease has been made, there are several methods for discovering the causative agent of that allergy. Prevention
Giving peanut products early may decrease the risk of allergies while only breastfeeding during at least the first few months of life may decrease the risk of dermatitis. There is no good evidence that a mothers diet during pregnancy or breastfeeding affects the risk of allergies, nor is there evidence that delayed introduction of certain foods is useful. Early exposure to potential allergens may actually be protective.Fish oil supplementation during pregnancy is associated with a lower risk. Probiotic supplements during pregnancy or infancy may help to prevent atopic dermatitis. Management
Management of allergies typically involves avoiding the allergy trigger and taking medications to improve the symptoms. Allergen immunotherapy may be useful for some types of allergies. Medication
Several medications may be used to block the action of allergic mediators, or to prevent activation of cells and degranulation processes.
The mites gut contains potent digestive enzymes (notably peptidase 1) that persist in their feces and are major inducers of allergic reactions such as wheezing. The mites exoskeleton can also contribute to allergic reactions. Unlike scabies mites or skin follicle mites, house dust mites do not burrow under the skin and are not parasitic. Foods
A wide variety of foods can cause allergic reactions, but 90% of allergic responses to foods are caused by cows milk, soy, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Other food allergies, affecting less than 1 person per 10,000 population, may be considered "rare". The use of hydrolyzed milk baby formula versus standard milk baby formula does not appear to affect the risk.The most common food allergy in the US population is a sensitivity to crustacea. Although peanut allergies are notorious for their severity, peanut allergies are not the most common food allergy in adults or children. Severe or life-threatening reactions may be triggered by other allergens and are more common when combined with asthma.Rates of allergies differ between adults and children. Children can sometimes outgrow peanut allergies. Egg allergies affect one to two percent of children but are outgrown by about two-thirds of children by the age of 5. The sensitivity is usually to proteins in the white, rather than the yolk.Milk-protein allergies are most common in children. Approximately 60% of milk-protein reactions are immunoglobulin E-mediated, with the remaining usually attributable to inflammation of the colon.