Allergy Testing

Finding Clear Answers From One Blood Test

Symptoms of allergies can interfere with daily life in many ways, including sneezing, itchy eyes and skin rashes as well as tummy upsets, coughing, wheezing or reactions after certain foods. If the trigger is unknown, it can be hard to know what to avoid or how to best manage symptoms.

We offer private allergy testing in the form of the ALEX³ Allergy Xplorer test – a cutting-edge diagnostic tool with exceptional sensitivity and specificity (85–100%) so you can have comprehensive allergy insights quickly and accurately from one blood test.

Before testing, your clinician will consider your symptoms, allergy history and possible triggers to determine if testing is appropriate and what kind of support may be most helpful.

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When Allergy Testing May Be Helpful

Allergy tests may be useful if you have symptoms that occur after contact with certain foods, animals, pollen, dust, mould, insect stings or other possible triggers. It can also be useful when symptoms keep coming back and you don’t know what is causing them. If you experience any of the below, then you may want to consider allergy testing:

Signs of hay fever such as itchy eyes or sneezing a lot
Skin rashes, itching, hives or eczema flares
Stomach problems after certain foods
Coughing, wheezing or breathing problems linked to triggers
Tingling of the lips, swelling of the mouth or previous allergic reactions

Your clinician will help you decide if allergy testing is appropriate for you based on your symptoms and medical history.

ALEX³ Allergy Xplorer Testing

Well Life Clinic in Cobham offers the ALEX³ Allergy Xplorer test. It’s a simple yet comprehensive blood test that looks for sensitisation to 300 allergy triggers from one small blood sample. Common triggers might be pollen, dust mites, pets, moulds, foods and insect venoms.

A positive result does not mean you will always react to something in daily life and a negative result does not explain every symptom. This is why the clinical history and consultation continues to be an integral part of the process.

More Than Just a Test Result

The most useful aspect of allergy testing is to put the results in context. Your clinician will consider if the result is consistent with your symptoms, when the reactions happen, how severe they are and if there could be another reason.

We aim to give you practical advice, not just a lab report. Your results may help guide advice on avoidance, medication, lifestyle changes, further testing or referral as appropriate.

Adult and Child Allergy Support

Allergy problems can affect both adults and children. Long-standing symptoms, reactions to foods, seasonal allergies or unexplained flare-ups may also prompt testing in adults. Children may require assessment if symptoms impact eating, skin health, breathing, sleeping or comfort in daily life.

The allergy pathway can vary depending on age and symptoms. Children may need a more detailed package including consultation and follow up, especially where food reactions or more significant symptoms are involved.

The Allergy Test Complete Package for both Adults and Children (aged 5+) is £599. For Adults, we also offer the test only for £379. Please note, this covers just the blood test and an email copy of the results, however once you have seen the results, if you decide that you would like to see a doctor, you can add a results appointment for £170.

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What the Test May Help Identify

Allergy testing may be helpful to assess for sensitisation to different groups of allergens depending on your symptoms and the appropriateness of the test. These could include:

Environmental triggers and pollen (seasonally)
House dust mites, pets and indoor allergens
Recurrent food allergy triggers
Air borne allergens, yeasts and moulds
Insect venom sensitisation (as applicable)

Your clinician will discuss which areas relate to your symptoms and what the results may signify.

What Happens During Your Appointment

As part of the complete package, your 40 minute appointment will start with a discussion of your allergy history, symptoms and possible triggers. The clinician might ask: When did symptoms start? How often do they occur? What makes them worse? Have you had reactions before? Are you taking any medications? Do you have eczema, asthma, or hay fever? Is there a family history of allergies?

If testing is appropriate, then a small sample of blood will be taken. Your sample will be submitted for analysis and your results will be reviewed when they are back. A 20 minute follow-up consultation will then be booked to discuss the results and obtain your personal plan.

Please contact us if you’d like to see a sample results report.

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Dr Lisa Brigstocke

Dr Lisa Brigstocke is our Clinical Lead for Allergies:

Dr. Lisa Brigstocke qualified from Brighton and Sussex Medical School in 2008. Before specialising in General Practice, she spent three years as a Paediatric doctor in the UK and New Zealand, gaining invaluable skills in treating and managing unwell children and infants. Lisa has worked as an NHS GP in Camberley for the past six years and performs joint injections, enabling her to help patients with a wide range of musculoskeletal problems.

She is committed to delivering unhurried patient-centered care, helping to address any acute or long term-health concerns that affect your wellbeing.

Dr. Brigstocke developed an interest in allergy at an early stage of her training and has continued to develop this whilst perusing a career in primary care. She also works in the adult allergy clinic at Frimley Park Hospital managing a wide spectrum of allergic conditions. Dr. Brigstocke successfully completed her postgraduate certification in Allergy at University Hospital Southampton, the first World Centre for Excellence for Allergy and Immunology. She is passionate in helping allergy patients feel listened to and gain the knowledge to manage their condition without the anxiety that can accompany such a diagnosis.

Outside of medicine Dr. Brigstocke enjoys keeping active through running, playing netball and dog walking.

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