Sugar Land - Visiting Nurse Assn. Nasal smears are tests performed to check the amount of eosinophils in the nose.
Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that increases in number during an allergic reaction.
Blood tests may be used when skin tests cannot by performed. As with skin testing, it is important to remember that a positive blood test does not always mean you are allergic to that allergen. The skin test is a very accurate test that measures your level of IgE antibodies in response to certain allergens or triggers. Using small amounts of solution that contain different allergens, the physician will either inject under the skin or apply the allergens with a small scratch. A reaction would appear as a small red area.