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Diagnostic tools, such as food diaries, elimination diets, skin tests, and blood tests, can be used to determine if a patient is allergic to wheat and to identify specific wheat components. Symptoms of wheat allergies can range from mild to severe, and it can take several weeks or months to properly diagnose.
There are a number of diagnostic tools that can be used to determine if a patient is allergic to wheat and to narrow down the allergy to specific wheat components. These tests may be performed and supervised by an allergy specialist. Allergy clinics, some hospitals, and other types of medical centers may offer screenings for wheat and other potential allergens. It can take several weeks or months to properly diagnose an allergy in someone who has a wheat allergy because these allergies tend to be complex.
People with a wheat allergy can react with a number of different proteins found in wheat. Symptoms of wheat allergies can range from intestinal discomfort after eating wheat to full-blown anaphylaxis, in which a patient’s airways close in response to exposure to allergens. Many people notice wheat allergies because they start developing skin conditions, digestive problems, a runny nose, and a variety of other mild symptoms when they eat a lot of wheat.
The first step in diagnosing allergies is often a food and activity diary. Patients keep track of what they eat and what they do, and also note any symptoms or changes in status. This can allow a doctor to begin linking particular triggers with allergies. If a food diary shows that products containing wheat are being eaten around the time allergies are manifesting, it may be a sign that a patient is allergic to wheat.
Someone who is allergic to wheat may be encouraged to try an elimination diet. The patient reduces the diet to very bland foods and then carefully introduces new foods and notes the response. When the patient experiences an allergic reaction, the last eaten foods can be targeted as potential allergy culprits. For those with a wheat allergy, it’s crucial to read food labels carefully while on an elimination diet because many foods contain wheat where it might not be expected. Soy sauce, for example, is sometimes made from wheat.
A skin test can be done in which the patient is exposed to specific allergens and the response is monitored. Such tests are generally safe because the doses of the allergen are very small, but patients still need to be monitored in case they react badly. Another option is a challenge test that involves consuming small amounts of concentrated allergens. Blood testing may also be used and may be recommended if a doctor is concerned that skin pricking or provocation testing may endanger a patient.
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