I’m on holidays so we are pulling from the archives.  This topic has come up more than a few times since 2018, and here’s a post on it from 2019:

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“I have a query about allergies, recently i have been suffering from muffled hearing and blocked nose, not from a cold. i went to the gp and she said it is probably from allergies and prescribed a steroid nasal spray. My hearing is now coming back with a slight ringing in my ears. I’m just wondering if you would think it would be a good idea to get allergy testing done and what kind of qualifications i should look for when looking for a professional?”

First of all, Allergy and intolerance testing is still a largely unregulated but HIGHLY profitable industry.  It is also a a source of great content for social media influencers – from diet gurus and their nutribabble to crunchy mums and their restrictive diets to essential oil pyramid sales to supplement sellers to celebrities who just need attention.

What should you know?

One, allergy and food sensitivity testing can get really expensive (but it shouldn’t be). There are unqualified people promoting all sorts of unscientific testing all over the place, including at pharmacies, which I find ethically questionable. Your highly trained pharmacist isn’t usually to blame: s/he is usually under corporate pressure to allow this sideline product in the chain pharmacy.

Two, the Irish Medical Council doesn’t have a category for allergy specialist yet, which means that docs who have done the specialist training are harder to find and verify.  Your GP can help you here!

Three, unqualified practitioners occasionally use dangerous methods of “treating” an allergy. A tragic death from allergy treatment happened a few years ago, and it remains a warning to why docs feel regulation is important.

What to know about food allergy or food sensitivity in children?

Unqualified nutritional advice for children can be dangerous.  The recognised qualification for dietetics and nutrtion in Ireland is INDI and CORU registration.  You can ask your GP or PHN for a referral.  There are very affordable group classes and even free online information sessions available regulary with private expert dietitians.  If you have insurance, one-on-one consultations are often fully covered.

My favourite expert dietitians to follow on social media?  For everything gut and IBS:   The Gut Experts.  For adults and fertility: Orla Walsh Nutrition and What2Eat.ie  For kids:  Weaning.ie and SolidStart.ie

Never allow someone who is not a registered medical professional to perform desensitisation treatment for known allergy.

Where to start?

You should ask your GP (there are other reasons besides allergies or food sensitivities for common symptoms such as blocked noses or tummy upset). If your GP does feel that allergy testing might help you,, some GP’s have done special training in simple and common tests for common allergies. Most GP’s will organize a referral to a qualified consultant physician/paediatrician who has a documented special interest and training in allergy.  Sometimes a referral to a specialist for the  symptoms such as tummy (gastroenterologist) or ears (ENT) is the next best step.

So, What to avoid as a savvy patient, consumer, or parent?  (Because science.)

● Home testing kits of any sorts (HPRA has not approved any of them on the market)
●Any practitioner using hair/nail clippings to diagnose any allergy/intolerance (scientifically impossible),
● Any marketed test which claims to use IgG and IgG4,
● Any test that claims to use provocation/neutralization tests, kinesiology, cytotoxic tests, and electrodermal testing.
●Chiropractors, osteopaths, and nutritionists without INDI and CORU registration are not qualified to diagnose or treat allergy or food sensitivity, especially in children.  

Bonus allergy mythbusting:

Honey doesn’t treat or prevent allergies!  If you follow, you know that I’m a huge fan of honey for many things! –  but there is no evidence that local honey has any effect on allergies.