Allergy Test FAQ

Some common questions we are asked about allergies and our tests.

Where can I get tested for allergies in the UK?

We offer convenient at home allergy testing for patients across the UK in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland; simply complete the online questionnaire, make your payment and a kit will be sent to your home.

This programme allows you to get the same comprehensive allergy testing wherever you live in the UK, in a remote village in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland or if you live in central London.

After you send the blood sample collected with home based allergy testing kit back our accredited London’s Laboratory, our London-based specialist allergy consultants do thorough review of your test results and symptom questionnaire and will write to you and your GP with the results (if you opted for this in the questionnaire) .

If you wish, you can always book to a face to face appointment with our specialists in London discuss your results and receive treatment.

Where do I start when testing for allergies?

If you are in London and want to be seen by an allergy consultant, or if you want your child or baby to be seen by our paediatric allergy consultant, please book an appointment on-line or call 020 314 33442.

If you live in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland or live in England but far away from London, or for any reason cannot attend a face-to face appointment at our Harley Street clinic, please start by filling in our ISAC allergy symptoms questionnaire, make secure online payment for your test, you will receive all needed instructions by e-mail.

You will then receive a sample collection pack from the lab (as shown in the video) or, if you are unable to take a sample yourself of the test is for a child attend our lab with the kit for collection in London Oxford Circus or Bond Street Tube stations, you can attend the lab with the printed request form for sample collection (the request form will be sent after your payment).

Finger prick (self-) collection is not suitable for small children and babies. In these cases, the sample needs to be taken by a trained healthcare professional (our lab can provide the necessary materials on request if you are located at a distance from London), or in London you can attend the lab Oxford Circus or Bond Street Tube stations with our form where the sample will be collected Monday to Friday, 7am-7pm and Saturday 9am-5pm.

Your personal allergy test report will be ready up to 2 weeks after you send the sample back to the laboratory.

If you have any further questions or would like a consultation, treatment, or if any problems are identified throughout the testing process, please book you an appointment with one of our allergy specialists in London.

Can the test identify food allergies?

Yes.

At the London Allergy and Immunology Centre on Harley Street, we offer food allergy testing, one of the most common concerns for those suffering from symptoms of allergy or intolerance.

We also offer the opportunity for you to take a home allergy test (sample collection at home) wherever you live in the UK.

Please complete the screening questionnaire here and pay fro the test, when we receive your results one of our allergy consultants will make a recommendations to your GP base on your symptoms and test results, or you can come for further treatment to our Allergy Centre in London.

If you would like to request an in-person consultation, please use the electronic appointment system.

Many people in the UK suffer from symptoms related to food allergy or intolerance. Some of the most common questions that our patients ask us after they’ve had a severe reaction and suspect that food was the cause are:

• Was it an allergic reaction to food?
• Which particular food was it?
• Is it going to happen again?
• What food do I need to avoid?

We can give dietary advice after doing one or more of the following tests:

• The ImmunoCap ISAC blood test
• Skin prick test with commercially available food extracts
• Prick-to-prick test with fresh or cooked food
• Challenge test with food in a safe hospital environment
• Blood test Specific IgE to food (note not IgG)

Once the cause of your allergy has been identified, we will advise you on dietary requirements and further treatment, if required.

Do I Have A Food Allergy or Food Intolerance?

When a patient experiences mild or delayed symptoms it can be difficult to identify the cause. In many cases an allergy is the cause and the tests outlined above can confirm this. The primary goal is to exclude the possibility of a life-threatening allergic reaction and help you manage your allergies going forward.

If your results from a food allergy test are negative, our doctors will work closely with you, using dietary methods (food and symptom diaries followed by complex bio-chemical tests) to see whether you have a condition known as ‘intolerance’.

Food intolerance is usually caused by an absence or low levels of enzymes that break down specific sugars in food.

An allergy is not the same as an intolerance and it is important to seek advice from a healthcare professional to determine exactly what your symptoms are caused by.

• We will take all your symptoms seriously, diagnose using a clinically-proven testing method and, where possible, treat the cause
• We will try our best to get to the bottom of your symptoms
• We will explain everything to you, with no hidden charges
• We use only traditional, clinically-proven medical and scientific approaches (with no ‘magic’ supplements)

Intolerance can be diagnosed by the exclusion of foods one by one, with further reintroduction in a blinded manner, confirming the absence or return of the symptoms.

Warning!!!

Do not be fooled by the widely available IgG tests online for food intolerance. There is no need to change your diet if IgG antibodies to food are detected.

The presence of IgG antibodies does NOT indicate an allergy or intolerance to a specific food. IgG antibodies to food are formed in all healthy people as a part of the digestion process. There is no specific screening test for intolerance at present. If you would like to do an at home allergy test, we offer that service.

Have an allergy test using unique finger prick sample collection technology from the comfort of your own home in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland & England