Diagnosis of Pollen Allergy
Doctors use two tests to diagnose a pollen allergy.

Skin Prick Test (SPT)
In prick/scratch testing, a nurse or doctor places a small drop of the possible allergen on your skin. Then the nurse will lightly prick or scratch the spot with a needle through the drop. If you are allergic to the substance, you will develop redness, swelling and itching at the test site within 20 minutes. You may also see a wheal. A wheal is a raised, round area that looks like a hive. Usually, the larger the wheal, the more likely you are to be allergic to the allergen.

A positive SPT to a particular pollen allergen does not necessarily mean that a person has an allergy. Health care providers must compare the skin test results with the time and place of a person’s symptoms to see if they match.

Specific IgE Blood Test
Blood tests are helpful when people have a skin condition or are taking medicines that interfere with skin testing. They may also be used in children who may not tolerate skin testing. Your doctor will take a blood sample and send it to a laboratory. The lab adds the allergen to your blood sample. Then they measure the amount of antibodies your blood produces to attack the allergens. This test is called Specific IgE (sIgE) Blood Testing. (This was previously and commonly referred to as RAST or ImmunoCAP testing.) As with skin testing, a positive blood test to an allergen does not necessarily mean that an allergen caused your symptoms.

Prevention
There are actions you can take to reduce allergic reactions to pollen:

1. Limit your outdoor activities when pollen counts are high. This will lessen the amount of pollen allergen you inhale and reduce your symptoms.
2. Keep windows closed during pollen season and use central air conditioning with a CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly filter attachment. This applies to your home and to any vehicle (car, bus, train, etc.).
3. Start taking allergy medicine before pollen season begins. Most allergy medicines work best when taken this way. This allows the medicine to prevent your body from releasing histamine and other chemicals that cause your symptoms.
4. Bathe and shampoo your hair daily before going to bed. This will remove pollen from your hair and skin and keep it off your bedding.
5. Wash bedding in hot, soapy water once a week.
6. Wear sunglasses and a hat. This will help keep pollen out of your eyes and off your hair.
7. Limit close contact with pets that spend a lot of time outdoors.
8. Change and wash clothes worn during outdoor activities.
9. Dry your clothes in a clothes dryer, not on an outdoor line.