It starts small. Every spring, your nose runs, you can’t stop sneezing, and your eyes itch and water. You put it down to a cold that won’t quite shake. Then one night, a few mouthfuls into dinner, your mouth starts to tingle and itchy red welts appear on your arms. You start to wonder whether it was something you ate, or whether it’s all connected.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. A runny, itchy or blocked nose, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes are signs of hay fever. They can look like a cold or flu, but allergy symptoms often continue unless treated correctly.1 Hives or welts, a tingling mouth and swelling of the lips, face or eyes can be signs of an allergic reaction.2
Allergies are rising in Australia. A 2025 report estimated that 8.2 million Australians, or 30% of the population, had allergic disease, up from 4.1 million, or 20%, in 2007.3 Allergic disease is now one of the country’s fastest-growing chronic conditions.4
Knowing exactly what you’re allergic to can help you manage your allergies, often by avoiding or lowering your exposure to your triggers.5 Getting a clear answer isn’t always simple, though, and sometimes no tests are recommended. An accurate history of symptoms and events are key. Some methods that claim to test for allergies are not proven, and many are easy to access online. These tests can result in misdiagnosis, ineffective treatment and costly, often dangerous, changes to your diet.6
This guide explains how the two main allergy tests work, what your results can and can’t tell you, and which tests Australia’s allergy experts recommend you avoid.
In this article
What allergy tests look for
The most common allergy tests check whether your body has made immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to a substance such as a food, grasses, pet dander or mould.7 This can be checked with a blood test or a skin prick test.7
The skin prick test
In a skin prick test, a tiny amount of the allergen is put on your skin and pricked with a small needle.5 It is usually done on your forearm or back. If the result is positive, a small itchy lump with a red flare appears within 15 to 20 minutes.8
Skin prick testing is usually done by an allergy specialist, but it can also be done by a GP or nurse who has been trained in the test and has the right equipment.7 Testing should be supervised by a doctor trained to select allergens, interpret results and treat an allergic reaction if one occurs.8 Testing with fresh foods, latex and medicines carries a higher risk of reaction, so Australian GP guidance recommends that only allergy specialists test for these.9
The allergy blood test (RAST)
An allergy blood test checks your blood for IgE antibodies to specific substances, such as foods, grasses, pet dander and mould. It is known as a serum-specific IgE test.7 You’ll often hear it called a RAST test, which is how specific IgE testing is commonly referred to.10
What your results mean
A positive test does not always mean you have an allergy.5 A positive result shows that your body is sensitised to a substance, which does not always mean that substance causes you symptoms.9 To diagnose an allergy, your doctor looks at your test results together with your medical history and symptoms.6,10 Your results also help your doctor decide on the best treatment options6 and, where needed, which specialist to refer you to.7
Tests the experts don’t recommend
ASCIA, the peak professional body for clinical immunology and allergy in Australia and New Zealand, advises against several methods that claim to test for allergy. These include cytotoxic food testing, kinesiology, hair analysis, vega testing, electrodermal testing, pulse testing, reflexology, bioresonance, Alcat tests and IgG testing to foods.6,12 ASCIA also does not recommend food allergy tests ordered online, or any test that claims to screen for food allergy, including genetic tests.11
IgG food testing is often promoted for food intolerance. However, IgG antibodies to food are commonly found in healthy adults and children, whether or not they have symptoms.12 Cutting out foods unnecessarily can affect growth and nutrition.11 Avoiding a food you are not allergic to could also increase your chances of developing an allergy to that food in future.7 No Medicare rebate is available in Australia for these tests.13
Getting ready for a skin prick test
You will usually need to stop taking antihistamines for at least three days before a skin prick test, because they can affect the results. Check with the clinic, as some doctors prefer a longer break.7 You also need to be well in the three days before the test.5 If you have had anaphylaxis, you will need to wait about six weeks after the reaction before having a skin prick test or blood test.7
What it costs
When a doctor orders your allergy tests, Medicare rebates cover part of the cost. In most cases, there will be some out-of-pocket costs, so ask about fees when you book.5
Where to start
If you think you might have an allergy, your GP is a good place to begin. The consult will focus on a clear history of events and symptoms, which sometimes is enough to guide treatment and management. Allergy tests are sometimes used, and may help show whether your symptoms are caused by an allergy or something else,7 and your doctor may refer you to an immunologist, a doctor who specialises in the immune system.5
| Book an appointment with your GP at Qualitas Medical Practices. |
References
Accessed 24 September 2026.
1. Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA). Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) fast facts. https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/fast-facts/hay-fever-allergic-rhinitis
2. ASCIA. Action plan for allergic reactions, 2026. https://www.allergy.org.au/images/stories/anaphylaxis/2026/ASCIA_Action_Plan_Allergic_Reactions_2026.pdf
3. Deloitte Access Economics for ASCIA and the National Allergy Council. Costly Reactions: The economic and social cost of allergic disease in Australia, 2025. https://www.allergy.org.au/ascia-reports-economic
4. Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. National allergy rates climb costing $18.9b in financial losses. https://www.mcri.edu.au/news/news-stories/national-allergy-rates-cost-18-9b-financial-losses
5. Healthdirect Australia. Allergy testing: skin prick tests and blood tests. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/allergy-testing
6. ASCIA. Allergy testing. https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-testing/allergy-testing
7. Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia. Allergy tests. https://allergyfacts.org.au/allergy-tests/
8. ASCIA. Allergy testing fast facts. https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/fast-facts/allergy-testing
9. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Allergy testing and referral in children. https://www.racgp.org.au/getattachment/a773b69d-36c1-4cb6-b4e9-f489dc9e47ba/attachment.aspx
10. Clinipath Pathology. Allergy testing. https://www.clinipathpathology.com.au/clinicians/resources-requesting-pathology/test-information/allergy-testing/
11. ASCIA. Food allergy testing. https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-testing/food-allergy
12. ASCIA. Position paper on evidence based and unproven allergy tests and treatments. https://www.allergy.org.au/hp/papers/position-paper-evidence-based-versus-non-evidence-based-allergy-tests-and-treatments
13. ASCIA. Testing. https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/skin-allergy?view=category&id=84
