Editing Allergen (section)

=== Diagnosis ===

Based on the symptoms seen on the patient, the answers given in terms of symptom evaluation and a physical exam, doctors can make a diagnosis to identify if the patient has a seasonal allergy. After performing the diagnosis, the doctor is able to tell the main cause of the allergic reaction and recommend the treatment to follow. Two tests have to be done in order to determine the cause: a blood test and a skin test. Allergists do skin tests in one of two ways: either dropping some purified liquid of the allergen onto the skin and pricking the area with a small needle; or injecting a small amount of allergen under the skin.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/allergies/seasonal_allergies.html/ | title = Seasonal Allergies | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100516031605/http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/allergies/seasonal_allergies.html | archive-date=16 May 2010 | work = Kids Health | access-date = 31 August 2010 }}</ref>

Alternative tools are available to identify seasonal allergies, such as laboratory tests, imaging tests, and nasal endoscopy. In the laboratory tests, the doctor will take a nasal smear and it will be examined microscopically for factors that may indicate a cause: increased numbers of eosinophils (white blood cells), which indicates an allergic condition. If there is a high count of eosinophils, an allergic condition might be present.<ref>{{Cite web | vauthors = Liesveld J |title=Eosinophilia - Hematology and Oncology |url=https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/hematology-and-oncology/eosinophilic-disorders/eosinophilia |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=Merck Manuals Professional Edition |language=en-US}}</ref>

Another laboratory test is the blood test for IgE (immunoglobulin production), such as the [[radioallergosorbent test]] (RAST) or the more recent enzyme allergosorbent tests (EAST), implemented to detect high levels of allergen-specific IgE in response to particular allergens. Although blood tests are less accurate than the skin tests, they can be performed on patients unable to undergo skin testing. Imaging tests can be useful to detect sinusitis in people who have chronic rhinitis, and they can work when other test results are ambiguous. There is also nasal endoscopy, wherein a tube is inserted through the nose with a small camera to view the passageways and examine any irregularities in the nose structure. Endoscopy can be used for some cases of chronic or unresponsive seasonal rhinitis.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/allergic-rhinitis/diagnosis.html | title = Allergic Rhinitis | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100904064016/http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/allergic-rhinitis/diagnosis.html | archive-date=4 September 2010 | work = New York Times Health Guide | access-date = 31 August 2010 }}</ref>