ACUTE URTICARIA – DIAGNOSIS?
The diagnosis of acute urticaria is almost exclusively based on a patient’s report to the doctor. That’s why it is critical to report all facts concerned to your condition, and show pictures, if available. No laboratory tests are required, because these are of little value for providing a diagnosis.
Whenever an allergic cause is suspected, targeted allergy tests may be conducted to confirm the suspicion. It must be emphasized that indiscriminately testing for allergies to any substance is not recommendable, because some substances can be unfamiliar to a patient’s daily life. Tests based on an assumptions made from patient’s reports of the condition should be requested.
The types of diagnostic tests for allergic acute urticaria may include skin puncture – the so-called prick-test – or blood samples (“RAST”). Your healthcare professional will consider the need of conducting tests like these.
References:
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014 May;133(5):1270-7
Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2014 Feb;34(1):11-21