FAQ

Allergy Diagnostics and Immunotherapy Treatments Sets:
There is a conflict of interest when the institution that performs your allergy tests also provides immunotherapy treatment sets. In fact, in human medicine under the Fair Laboratory Act, it is illegal. Corporations such as Pharmacia famous for their human allergy RAST tests were forced to divest themselves of all business interests in immunotherapy.
Mixtures of Allergens verses Singular Allergens for Testing Purposes:
The more allergens which are used for an allergy test, the less sensitive the test becomes for an individual allergen, and the more non-specific the test becomes due to interactions of the allergen proteins. This silver bullet” marketing strategy to lure the client into believing they are getting more for their money by using these methods is false. They are actually getting less. This problem became so severe that in human medicine companies, the FDA enforced them to withdraw their “allergen screening products”, such as grass screens, tree screens, and weed screens from the market. With so many different and diverse species of allergens it is impossible to adequately represent them as mixtures for specific IgE detection.
Food Allergy “not an afterthought”:
Food allergy represents a serious and chronic allergy threat. The opportunity for exposure through direct blood contact via the gums combined with prolonged residence time in the mouth creates a substantial opportunity for atopic hyper-sensitization. Even inhalant allergens eventually end up in the oral fecal tract. Rotation diets and avoidance diets, while cumbersome, is the only reliable method of treatment.
Skin Test:
Although skin testing is the earliest diagnostic method used to detect allergy to specific allergens, it is suspect due to variable endotoxin contamination in allergen extracts. Endotoxin, one the most potent toxins known, will cause swelling and erythema (classical wheal and flare reactions) even on non-allergenic patients, resulting in unpredictable and variable false positive results. Additionally, because skin testing involves in vivo allergen exposure, one runs the risk of becoming sensitized to an allergen they may not have been previously allergic to.
Anti-Inflammatory Treatment and Allergy Blood Tests:
The use of systemic anti-inflammatory drugs will not affect the allergy blood test. They will affect the allergy skin testing, since they block the inflammatory histamine response that the skin test is dependent upon. Although short-term use of corticosteroids such as Pregnisone alleviates symptoms, prolonged exposure can lead to tumors, diabetes, aggressive psychotic behavior, and T cell suppression (allowing microbial pathogens such as Staphylcoccus aureus and Malassezia pachydermatis to invade). The use of topical hydrocortisone ointments to alleviate a pruritic condition (e.g. Equate by Taro Pharmaceuticals or Aveeno with hydrocortisone) is safe, effective, and highly recommended.
Hypothyroidism and Dermatitis:
Hypothyroidism causes many symptoms similar to allergy related problems, such as scaling and flaking skin, dry and brittle hair with little shine, and hair loss. Individuals should be tested for free T4 levels, and if low, treated with synthetic T4 (levothroxine).
Shampoos to Relieve Skin Irritation:
Unless the individual is allergic to oats, we recommend the “over the counter” shampoo called Aveeno manufactured by Johnson & Johnson. It has excellent soothing and moisturizing properties. We also recommend the use of prescription shampoo, NIZORALtm (ketoconazole), manufactured by JANSEEN Pharmaceuticals. Ketoconazole is an effective antifungal agent against Malazzezia pachydermatis and other pathogenic yeasts. Leaving ketoconazole on increases its effectiveness.
Environmental Aids:
The use of electrostatic air filters and dehumidifiers, especially for mold and fungi sensitive individuals, is strongly recommended. These units will substantially reduce the airborne allergen particle levels. Additionally, electrostatic filters reduce or eliminate diesel fumes and other air pollutants that magnify the allergic response by several-fold.
Staphylcoccus aureus as an Allergen:
All chronic pathogens have the potential for causing allergy. Staphylcoccus is notorious for causing classical “hot spots,” or pyroderma, which mimics allergy. Unfortunately, Staphylcoccus a. has immunoglobulin binding proteins (Protein A and G), which prohibit classical antibody-based allergy immunoassays from being used. These proteins may in fact be the cause of pyroderma. It is recommended to aggressively treat the infection with antibiotics and the pyroderma will subside.
Internal Parasites (Worms and Protozoa):
The immunological function of reagenic IgE antibody is to protect from parasite infestation. Therefore, recent or existing worm or protozoan infestation will result in in vivo synthesis of huge quantities of IgE antibody. Some to this antibody is specific for common allergens. Allergies, like parasitic diseases, cause a dramatic rise in eosinophil counts, making an eosinophil count the best presumptive test for these disorders.
Dietary Supplements:
Omega-3 and omega-6 are essential fatty acids that cannot be synthesized by mammals. The dietary requirement for these is increased in atopic individuals. They are anti-inflammatory; hence we highly recommend their use to alleviate allergy symptoms. They have also been used to treat other dermatological conditions such as eczema, dry and flaky skin, and follicular keratoses.
Immunotherapy Treatment:
Immunotherapy is effective about 75% of the time. The likelihood of success is inversely proportional to the number of allergens used. We recommend reducing the number of allergens used to fewer than ten with an emphasis on year round versus seasonal allergens.
ELISA Based Allergy Tests:
Not all ELISA tests are the same. They are dependent on numerous factors, the most important of which is the allergen antigenic representation on the plastic solid-phase. ALerCHEK uses its own unique proprietary technology based on colloidal gold which substantially optimizes the three dimensional expression of allergens. This ensures a high degree of sensitivity and reduces the number of false positives and false negative test results. The quality of the answer is dependent on the quality of the test used.
Deceptive Marketing Practices:
ALerCHEK, Inc. is a separate and distinct diagnostic company. We do not derive profit from any of the above mentioned treatments. In the area of immunotherapy, there are multiple commercial suppliers that also offer allergy testing. They should not be confused with ALerCHEK, which only offers allergy testing, the result of which may or may not indicate immunotherapy.

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