Allergic Rhinitis if allergy testing was negative?
Over the last year + I’ve seen alot of doctors for chronic symptoms that include, but are not limited to: Nasal problems, headache, ear ache, vision/hearing disturbances, chronic throat infections and tonsillitis. Nothing provides lasting relief – and I’ve been perpetually sick. Antibiotics and sprays seem to help, but within days of stopping, I get sick again. I went to an allergist, had a CT scan and a battery of allergy testing. The CT scan came back with some abnormalities, but the allergy testing was completely negative. Usually the dx is sinus infections. I saw a different specialist yesterday and he dx me with allergic rhinitis, nasal turbinate hypertrophy, deviated septum, and yes my tonsils have to come out (and he believes I have TMJ to boot). So, I am in the process of getting my CT films and my past records fwd to his office. My question is – how can someone have allergic rhinitis if allergy testing all came back negative? Any info appreciated! Thanks
I just figured out how to add details, Lol ! Okay as for the tests they did a skin prick allergy test and took blood to test my immunoglobins. Did a catscan which one doctor told me I had scar tissue on my sinuses that could be from exessive sinus infections not healing right, but the other doctor said that you cannot have scar tissue without having had surgery. One doctor said my catscan had some abnormalities (deviated septom, thickening where there shouldn’t be any, underdevelopment on one side) but the other doctor said he would bet it was not my sinuses but rather allergies (I didn’t have my CT with me, but he took an xray of my sinuses and said they looked fine, he said the severe headaches and other symptoms are probably from TMJ which I appear to have) So… With that being said, I am going to extend my answer time. Thanks everyone! P.S. I have tried Allegra, as well as several nasal sprays – none of them had much (if any) relief
Tagged with: allergic • Allergy • negative • Rhinitis • Testing
Filed under: Nasal Allergy Relief
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I really think that one of them have made a bad analysis. My suggestion is that visit a third one, and if it`s analysis match with one of the others, choose it.
Also I think, if you take medicine, the problem can go for awhile, it depends of the medicine, for example, a good one could be Allegra, besides Nasacort can duplicate allegra`s effectiveness.
One good online store (if you want to try one of the mentioned medicines) is http://www.trustedprescriptionsonline.com, and
Nasacort and allegra`s page :
http://trustedprescriptionsonline.com/index.php/Allergy/Allegra.html
http://trustedprescriptionsonline.com/index.php/Allergy/Nasacort.html
Hope this works
Tests are inconclusive, especially if they don’t do a RAST (blood sample) test to check for IGE reactions. Many people, including doctors, feel that skinprick tests are more accurate, but some studies are finding that this isn’t always true.
What kind of specialist are you seeing? Sometimes all those symptoms can actually be the manifestation of a food allergy, perhaps to gluten. A good allergist should be able to check for that kind of reaction.
Jesika: You can’t have allergic rhinitis if IgE is not present in your blood. I would wonder what type of specialist would diagnose anything “allergic” without doing a RAST test. It could be that the problem with your septum is causing chronic infection. Since you respond to antibiotics, that makes one think the problem is infection. Allergies and colds and flus do not respond to antibiotics. Many years ago, I had a series of sinus infections that lasted almost a year. I took so many blasted pills that they starting giving me stomach problems. Finally, the Dr found just the right combination of decongestant and antibiotic and within days I was better. Since I was just only about 12 at the time, I thought it was a miracle. As an adult, I realize all the different pills were just his way of finding the right antibiotic to do the trick. I would point blank ask this specialist about the lack of a RAST test and how his diagnosis could be so contradictory to the evidence. Could be his speciality is ENT. I hope you get to feeling better soon and get your own “miracle” the way I did.
This is a stumper..
Actually I run into quite a few people with allergy symptoms which tests have come back negative. So you’re definately not alone.
What allergy testing did you have done? Skin Prick? RAST? CAP-RAST? ELISA?
Skin Prick is usually the most reliable especially with food allergies… which I think may be your issue since you’re always sick.
RAST is well praised (I honestly don’t know why) but it also has a lot of false negatives.
CAP-RAST is fairly new but is the most sensitive and reliable of the IgE blood tests.
ELISA – tests IgG reactions.. which are delayed reactions. Some people claim to not see any improvement, however for many people with allergic symptoms and negative RAST results find that the ELISA test has helped them a lot. IgG can cause many of the same symptoms as IgE btw.
Have you taken any prescription allergy medications or even Claritin? Do they help? If yes (even if not 100%), then you got an allergy.. if no.. then keep looking.
Its possible also that you have an infection that has become resistant to antibiotics, but I’d suspect a hidden allergy first.
Also.. I don’t know what all they tested you for.. but what I’d suspect as food allergies would be: Corn, Wheat, Milk, Soy, Beans, Sulfites, Salicylates, MSG.
Hope you get an answer soon and get to feeling better!
Every allergist has their own panel of allergic skin prick test and that doctor may have a very basic panel. You can be tested for pollens, weeds, grasses, trees, molds, foods and animals through prick test, but you can also have more through test which is done on blood samples called RAST and they are usually more accurate. A prick test in some cases could be read wrong if the wrong things are placed and read wrong if too much time goes by between the test and the reading. It should be done in 20 minutes after the test was placed on your back. You should look into what you were tested for more throughly and ask to be tested for things that you weren’t because it may be something they haven’t tested yet or missed. Headaches are very common with allergies especially allergies to molds.
So look into this more and have more test done before you go through surgery for a deviated septum. My brother went through that as a adult and it was not fun. When he was a child he broke his nose and then after he always had problems. To do the surgery they had to break his nose again.