Prick- tests on standard, inhalation and nutrition allergens represent basic allergology testing that is used to prove hypersensitivity (sensitivity, allergy) on some of most common food and environmental allergens.

If we speak about allergens we differentiate allergens of indoors and allergens of outdoors. Among dangers lurking in the house the biggest problems are allergies on dust mites, dermatophagoides, cockroach, wool, hair and pets excretes. Most powerful outdoor allergens are weed, trees and grass pollen.

Various allergens are in food. Meat, milk, egg, fish, peanuts- are all potential allergy sources.

Test is conducted through skin scratch made with special lancet and by placement of a drop of specific allergen in that place. After certain period of time (mostly 20 minutes) skin reaction is checked. It is important if there is only redness or if so called papules formed on skin. This is also one of easily conducted diagnostic methods that provides very important data for further patient treatment.

Comparing radius of papules formed by allergen and ones made by histamine and physiological solution determines whether there is senzibilisation to some of allergens. Because antigen antibody reaction takes place in superficial dermal layer and entering of allergens in systemic circulation is avoided, this method of testing is almost completely harmless and there are no systemic reactions in persons with positive findings. Itching on reaction place is the only discomfort patients have.