Allergy Testing

Allergy testing can help identify how your immune system responds to certain foods and other substances that may be contributing to ongoing allergy symptoms. For individuals experiencing digestive concerns, skin issues, or other symptoms that seem connected to certain foods, allergy testing may provide valuable insight into possible triggers.

At Bishop Massage & Wellness, allergy testing involves collecting a blood sample through either a finger prick or blood draw. The sample is analyzed to measure IgG and/or IgA antibodies, which are immune proteins involved in delayed reactions to foods. This type of blood testing can provide information about how your body responds to specific foods and may help guide dietary changes and a personalized treatment plan.

Whether you’re dealing with digestive discomfort, itchy skin, fatigue, or other persistent symptoms, understanding potential food-related triggers is an important step toward improving overall wellness.

Blood Testing for Food Allergies and Food Sensitivities

A blood test can help identify potential reactions to certain foods and offer additional information about how the immune system is responding to specific triggers. During the testing process, a blood sample is collected and sent to a laboratory for analysis.

Once the sample has been analyzed, your naturopathic doctor reviews the findings and helps interpret the results in the context of your symptoms and health history.

In addition to assessing reactions to foods, blood testing may also be used to investigate conditions such as celiac disease. The most common blood test used for celiac screening is tissue transglutaminase (tTG), which may be followed by further medical investigation if results are positive.

Allergy Test Results

After your blood sample is collected, it is sent to the laboratory for analysis. Your allergy test results are typically available within 2–3 weeks.

Once your test results have been received, you will be contacted to schedule a follow-up appointment. During this visit, your naturopathic doctor will review your allergy test results, discuss whether any foods may be contributing to your symptoms, and provide recommendations for next steps.

Food Allergies vs. Food Intolerance

Food allergies are immune-mediated conditions that can cause immediate and sometimes severe allergic reactions. In some cases, a severe allergic reaction may occur after exposure to a specific food.

Common allergy symptoms associated with food allergies may include:

• Skin reactions such as hives

• Swelling

• Digestive distress

• Breathing difficulties

• Anaphylaxis

• Anaphylactic reaction

• Anaphylactic shock

A severe allergic response can become a life threatening medical emergency requiring immediate care.

Food intolerances and food sensitivities are different from food allergies. While they can cause uncomfortable symptoms, they are not generally associated with the same risk of a life threatening reaction. Instead, symptoms often occur hours or even days after consuming certain foods, making them more difficult to identify without proper testing.

Food Intolerance vs. Food Sensitivity

Food intolerance is generally digestive in origin and refers to difficulty breaking down certain foods. Symptoms commonly include bloating, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea.

Food sensitivities involve immune responses that may trigger delayed reactions. Unlike immediate allergic reactions, symptoms can take hours or days to appear. Because of this delay, it can be difficult to connect symptoms with a particular food without appropriate allergy testing.

Symptoms associated with food sensitivities may include:

• Fatigue

• Digestive disturbances

• Chronic skin rashes

• Weight gain

• Headaches

• Joint pain

• Mood changes

• Memory concerns

Because reactions vary depending on the individual, two people may not experience the same allergy symptoms when reacting to the same foods.

Food sensitivities are immune reactions that trigger delayed reactions in the body. Symptoms take hours or days to develop, making it difficult to determine the culprit food. With food sensitivities, symptoms are incredibly individual and each person will manifest them differently. However, common food sensitivity symptoms may include fatigue, digestive disturbances, chronic skin rashes, weight gain, headaches, joint pain, mood and memory disturbances, and behavioural problems.

What happens if you test positive?

If your allergy test results indicate a reaction to specific foods, removing those foods from your diet for approximately three months is generally recommended.

Your naturopathic doctor will provide detailed guidance and educational resources to help ensure proper nutrition while avoiding foods that may be contributing to symptoms.

Over time, some foods may become less reactive. After the elimination period, foods may be reintroduced to determine whether symptoms return. This process helps assess whether continued avoidance is necessary. It is important to note that this approach differs from managing true food allergies, where a food associated with a severe allergic reaction may need to be avoided long term.

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder caused by eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and kamut. The immune reaction caused by consuming gluten-containing foods produces significant inflammation, damaging the small intestine and leading to malabsorption of nutrients. Common signs and symptoms of celiac disease include abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, anemia, and weight loss. However, some individuals do not experience these classical symptoms, and may instead have loss of dental enamel, loss of bone density, headaches and fatigue, joint pain, numbness and tingling, an itchy blistery skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis), or additional autoimmune disorders. In children, malabsorption from celiac disease can affect growth and development.

Your naturopathic doctor or family doctor can test you for celiac disease. The blood test ordered is called tissue transglutaminase (tTG). If you have a positive tTG test, your doctor may refer you for a small intestinal biopsy to confirm the disease. The management of celiac disease involves strict life-long avoidance of gluten, and nutritional supplementation to heal the damaged intestinal lining.

Common allergy symptoms