also known as Wheat dust IgE Ab in Serum by Radioallergosorbent test (RAST)
This IgE allergy test uses a blood sample to determine if you are allergic to wheat or food made with wheat flour. Wheat allergies are common in the United States. In food allergies cases, the body sees proteins or chemicals in the food as a toxin. The immune system reacts by releasing histamines and antibodies to fight the toxin, causing allergy symptoms. Most allergic reactions to wheat affect the mouth, skin, or gastrointestinal tract and can cause swelling, irritation or itching to occur as well as more troublesome symptoms like difficulty breathing or vomiting. Many common foods are made with wheat, including bread, pasta, cracker, cookies, cakes, pastries, cereals and some types of flour. Symptoms often appear immediately upon ingestion, but can sometimes take anywhere from a minute to days to manifest. Food allergies can be very severe and sometimes even fatal. This blood test looks for IgE antibodies that respond as a result of being exposed to wheat allergens. Symptoms of an allergic reaction can be: AsthmaEczemaNauseaHivesDiarrheaWatery, itchy eyesBloated stomachInability to focusNasal congestionItchy rash that may include swelling of the skinIrritation with possible swelling of the mouth and/or throatIn very serious cases, anaphylaxis may occur. This is a medical emergency and symptoms of it are: Tightness and pain in the chest and difficulty breathingSwelling and tightness in the throat and difficulty swallowingPale or bluish skin, weak pulse and a serious, possibly life-threatening drop in blood pressure An allergy to wheat is not the same as celiac disease or a gluten allergy. Looking for a panel that encompasses more allergy testing? Try our Basic Food Allergy Test Panel