Diagnosis:
There are numerous factors involved in an accurate diagnosis of allergies. The two key steps in the process of allergy diagnosis include a medical history and allergy tests. A patient’s medical history is as important as the results of an allergy test. It is the critical link between the disease and the test results. Before a medical test is conducted, your doctor will probably need to know the type of symptoms you are suffering from, how often they occur, and if anything, in particular, seems to trigger them. If you don’t seem to find a connection between the allergy and its trigger, you may be referred to an allergist for further tests. The following tests may be carried out:

• Skin prick testing: Also called scratch test or puncture, this test is used to provide immediate results to as many as 40 allergies at once. Skin prick testing is normally used to test allergic reactions to foods, dust mites, pets, mould, pollen, and others. This type of allergy testing is not painful; the needles (lancets) used barely penetrate your skin, so there is no bleeding or scarring of your skin.
• Patch tests: In this type of testing, a small amount of suspected allergen is taped to your skin using special metal discs for about 48 hours, and observed for a reaction. Patch tests are used to investigate a condition called contact dermatitis, which is normally caused by exposure to certain allergens.
• Blood tests: Blood tests may also be conducted alongside other tests, such as skin prick tests, to help diagnose common forms of allergic reactions. Here, a sample of blood is drawn and tested for the suspected allergens.
• Skin injection tests: In this kind of testing, an allergist may inject a small amount of allergen into your skin for about 15 minutes and observe any form of reactions. Injection tests are normally carried to test reactions such as those from penicillin or insect venoms.

Treatment:
For people with allergies, the best way to avoid symptoms is by avoiding the offending triggers/allergens altogether. This works best if the trigger is a specific food such as a peanut, which can be simply omitted from the diet. However, this may prove difficult if one is allergic to substances such as ragweed pollen. For such individuals, certain prescription medications are recommended and can help relieve the symptoms.

• Immunotherapy/allergy shots: In this treatment approach, your allergist or doctor injects a small dose of the substance you are allergic to under your skin, to help your body tolerate it. This type of treatment is suitable for treating allergic rhinitis-dander, pollen, weed, grass, molds, and dust mite allergies among others.
• Decongestants: These are types of medications, in the form of capsules and sprays. used to reduce sinus discomfort and swelling. They are normally intended for short-term use and are used in combination with other medications, such as antihistamines.
• Antihistamines: These medications used to counter the effect of histamine, a substance that causes sneezing, runny nose, itching, and irritation of the eyes during allergic reactions.