Most people are intolerant to milk and do not have a milk allergy. However, if you do have milk allergy, it is not always easy to diagnose the problem. Since food allergies are almost always difficult to diagnose, it is always good to get a test done. There is no specific milk allergy test. Usually, the doctor will ask you several questions related to food and eating habits. Along with that, the doctor also performs a physical exam. You may also have to keep a food diary and maintain a log of all the foods that you consume. The doctor may also ask you to eliminate certain foods from your diet and then slowly add them back to see the changes in your symptoms and overall health.
A milk allergy test kit would ideally include a skin test kit. While you can use the test kit to perform a simple test, it is best to visit a doctor and get the test performed professionally. In the skin test, the doctor will prick your skin at several areas and then expose it to small amounts of various suspected allergens. While this test is often useful for diagnosing the causes of dermatitis, it is not always very accurate in determining milk allergies. If your skin breaks into hives and rashes upon close contact with milk or milk proteins, the doctor concludes that you have milk allergies.
A blood test may also be performed to further test for milk allergies. Blood test is usually performed as a milk allergy test in infants. This test measures your body's response to milk by determining the amount of antibodies in the blood stream. This test is not always accurate for identifying milk allergy either. Milk allergy tests results are not always accurate, and it is best to consult a professional for both diagnosis and testing.
In most cases, if the doctor is not able to confirm a milk allergy even with these tests, the doctor will ask you to get an oral challenge in which you will be fed many different foods. Some of the foods may contain milk products to evaluate the change in your health. The doctor monitors these changes closely and makes his diagnosis. After the milk allergy test, treatment is usually determined by the doctor. The easiest is to avoid milk and milk products. The doctor may ask you to consume soy milk instead so that you get all the requisite nutrients. The doctor may also opt to give you nutritional supplements.
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