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Hullo
I was recently referred to this specialist on request to my GP. My symptoms include on going catarrh problems sneezing first thing in the morning, blocked nose, sinus issues usually following a cold but sometines in the summer. As I have contact dermatitis and eczema around eyelids, I asked for allergy testing. With skin pricks, he only tested for grasses, cat & dog hair & house dust mite, which came up negative. Does this mean they are fool proof?

Thank you
Ruth Fialla

Hi Ruth,
All the allergy tests have limitations, but skin prick testing if done by a trained allergy clinician, is the most accurate. You need to do as many pollens as possible. There are 2 kinds of house dust mite, European and American, for which tests are available. There are blood tests available that measure the specific IgE antibodies to over a hundred allergens in a small sample.
On the other hand, it may not be allergy at all. The rhinitis may be related to sinus infection or a deviated nasal septum.
Dinkar Bakshi

Thank you for your post,
Skin prick tests are very good at picking up triggers for immediate allergies. Your symptoms could be attributable to both immediate and delayed allergies - the delayed allergies would not be excluded by a negative skin prick test. Either way, many airborne allergens e.g. pollens are tricky to avoid, however the symptoms should hopefully be able to be managed, whether they are triggered by immediate/delayed or other causes. In the first instance, discuss your concerns with your GP who can advise on first treatment steps and refer on to specialists if appropriate.