There are several types of allergy testing performed today, but they all fall into one of two categories. Both categories are performed to try to determine if a person's immune system is affected by certain allergens.
Skin Testing
The most common skin test performed is the Skin Endpoint Titration (SET). This test causes very minimal discomfort. A series of small injections are made in rows on a patient's arm. The result will be a series of bumps. The bumps will be monitored and if the bumps enlarge over a period of time, it inidicates an allergy.
Blood Testing
The most common blood test performed is the InVitro Test on Blood Sample (RAST). A small amount of blood will be drawn and sent to a lab to be analyzed.
Some information for this page was taken from the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy.