Allergic Rhinitis

Your doctor can usually diagnose allergic rhinitis by Reference examining you and Reference asking you questions about your symptoms, activities, and home. If your doctor thinks that you have allergic rhinitis, and you don't have complications, he or she may decide to treat your symptoms without doing lab tests. The doctor will then check your symptoms again later.

But you may need further testing if:

• You and your doctor need to find out exactly what things you are allergic to so that you can take steps to avoid them.
• Treatment is not helping your symptoms.
• You have severe symptoms.
• You are considering allergy shots (Reference immunotherapy Opens New Window).

For further testing, your doctor may suggest that you have:

• Reference Allergy tests. For example, a skin test can show how your skin reacts to an allergen. Or a blood test can measure the level of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies, which your body makes in response to certain allergens.
• Reference Nasal cytology (nasal smear) testing. This test shows if the drainage from your runny nose contains eosinophils, a type of white blood cell that may be in people who have allergies.

These tests can help your doctor know whether allergic rhinitis is causing your symptoms and find the best treatment. They can also help your doctor see if you have Reference complications, such as Reference sinusitis Opens New Window or Reference asthma.

Other tests for allergies

In most cases, you do not need testing. But your doctor may suggest some tests to make sure that another condition is not causing your symptoms. These tests include:

• Imaging tests, such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. These tests can show if you have a sinus infection (sinusitis), chronic inflammation (thickening) of the sinus lining, structural defects of the nose, or, in rare cases, cancer.
• Rhinoscopy or nasal Reference endoscopy Opens New Window. Both of these tests look for Reference nasal polyps Opens New Window and other problems that may block the nasal cavity.
• Mucociliary clearance testing. This test looks for abnormal cilia in people who have very thick nasal discharge. Cilia are tiny hairs on the lining of the nasal passages. These tiny hairs beat back and forth to remove particles from the nose. Certain rare diseases can cause problems in the cilia, which can lead to more nasal discharge.

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This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Reference Terms of Use. Reference How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.