If a person has a true allergy it means there is a measurable amount of circulating, allergen-specific IgE antibody in the blood. Some people exhibit allergy-like symptoms yet there is no allergen specific antibody found in their blood. There are environmental and food substances that people have a sensitivity to but not an allergy although exhibiting similar symptoms.

 

A major difference between an allergy and a sensitivity is that the latter may be more temporary and will dissipate sooner than upon eliminating the exposure to or consumption of the substance in question. Our tests provide our patients with a range of how sensitive your body is to certain tests. This situation occurs frequently with cats where a person exhibits allergy symptoms if they come in contact with cats but there is no significant level of cat allergen IgE in their blood. Removing oneself from contact or the vicinity of the cat you should notice the allergy-like symptoms subsiding rather quickly. In a true allergy the symptoms would remain for quite some time if the immune system was triggered sufficiently to start producing IgE antibodies.

 

Some people have a medical condition known as intolerance i.e. lactose intolerance and gluten intolerance. The symptoms associated with these conditions are similar to some allergy symptoms but a physician will have to perform specialized tests of the gastrointestinal system to diagnose these.