How is a Needle Grass pollen allergy diagnosed?

A Needle Grass pollen allergy is diagnosed primarily through a combination of physical examination, medical history review, and specific allergy testing.

Firstly, your doctor will discuss your symptoms with you. Typical signs of a pollen allergy can include sneezing, nasal congestion, itching eyes, and coughing. During pollen season, if you've experienced these symptoms particularly during outdoor activities or have noticed a spike in symptoms when needle grass is blooming, it might suggest you have a Needle Grass pollen allergy.

The major part of diagnosis, however, is done via specific allergy testing. This usually involves skin prick tests or blood tests. During a skin prick test, your allergist will apply a tiny amount of Needle Grass pollen extract on your skin using a small, thin needle prick. If you're allergic, you'll likely develop a raised bump or reaction at the test site.

A blood test, on the other hand, measures the amount of specific antibodies called Immunoglobulin E (IgE) that your body produces in response to a suspected allergen, such as Needle Grass pollen. An increased level of these antibodies is potential evidence of an allergy.

Both of these tests can help your doctor establish a definitive diagnosis of a Needle Grass pollen allergy. After diagnosis, your doctor can then guide you on how to manage your allergy, including avoidance tactics, medications or possibly immunotherapy depending on the severity. It should be noted that false positives and false negatives can occur in these tests. Therefore, interpreting the results in combination with your symptoms and medical history is important for an accurate diagnosis.