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Treatment
A more sensitive follow-up to standard skin prick testing — small amounts of allergen are injected just under the skin to detect lower-level sensitivities.
Patients whose symptoms suggest an allergy but whose skin prick or blood tests were inconclusive — particularly for environmental allergens, venom allergy, and certain drug allergies.
A trained nurse injects a tiny amount of each allergen extract into the upper layer of skin on your arm. Reactions develop within 15-20 minutes. The session usually takes 45-60 minutes.
45-60 minutes
Intradermal testing places a tiny amount of allergen directly beneath the surface of the skin using a very fine needle. Because it bypasses the outermost skin layer, it is significantly more sensitive than the standard skin prick test — useful when prick testing didn't give clear answers but symptoms still point to an allergy.
Intradermal testing is most commonly indicated for:
Skin prick testing is the first step and answers most questions. Intradermal testing is the second step, used when we need a finer resolution. The trade-off: intradermal testing is slightly more uncomfortable (a brief sting) and carries a slightly higher chance of a strong local reaction, which is why we always perform it in the office under medical supervision.
Every patient who has intradermal testing stays in the office for at least 30 minutes after the final injection. We watch for any sign of a systemic reaction. Resuscitation equipment and epinephrine are on hand at every Asthma Allergy Care & Treatment location.
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