Allergen, Individual-Animal Parrot Feather Test

Birds are certainly exquisite creatures; however, their enthralling feathers can have a negative effect on some people, inducing allergies. Therefore, Allergen-parrot feather test is performed on the sample of the patient’s skin to identify the level of the reaction. Once the cause is confirmed, your doctor will prescribe the required medications if necessary. The symptoms of this allergy include; sneezing, coughing, sore throat, postnasal drip, itchy and watery eyes, and sometimes black circles under the eyes, known as allergic shiners.

There is no special preparation required before undergoing this test. However, it is mandatory that you inform your doctor about all the medications that you are currently taking. It is also important to let your doctor know about any other medical conditions or allergies that you suffer from. This will make it easier for you as the doctor might give you a few special instructions depending on the same.

If the wheal is about 3mm, it indicates that the patient is allergic. Once the test is concluded, your doctor can prescribe medications to keep your allergies in control.

This test is usually performed by a doctor or a nurse. And, it takes about 20-40 minutes. For children, it is tested on their upper back, whereas in adults, it is tested on their forearms. This test is not painful because the needle doesn’t penetrate deep into the skin. You might experience a mild discomfort, but nothing more than that. The testing area is first cleaned with alcohol and the nurse will draw small mark on your skin. A small amount of allergen is introduced to the skin, on each mark. After 15 minutes, the nurse will make note if you developed any allergic reaction.