The ways of diagnosing a cat allergy can be diverse. When you visit a healthcare centre, you might have to undergo the following types of diagnosis.
- Allergy skin prick test: For this, your physician will use a clean needle to prick your skin’s surface, thereby depositing a tiny amount of the allergen. If this skin prick site becomes red or swollen within 15-20 minutes, it confirms that you have this allergy.
- Intradermal skin testing: For this, a doctor might inject allergens on your skin surface, mainly in the forearm or arm. If it results in red, itchy bumps on the skin, it will confirm that you have this allergy.
- Blood test: If you are uncomfortable with a skin test, your doctor might ask for a blood test. After drawing blood, doctors will send it to the laboratory for testing. The doctor will examine the antibodies to common allergens, including cat dander, to analyse if you have this allergy.
Knowing the correct procedure for treatment of cat allergy is essential to avoid it in the longer term. Usually, doctors prescribe over-the-counter drugs from the categories of Antihistamines and Decongestants. Apart from that, leukotriene inhibitors, such as montelukast, can effectively deal with such allergic reactions.
Another option comes from allergy shots. However, these are not always effective, and completing a treatment might be time-consuming. Moreover, children below the age of five cannot be given such shots.
Apart from this, you can also rely on home remedies for cat allergies. For example, nasal lavage can be an effective remedy, for which you will require saltwater (saline) to rinse your nasal passage. It will help in reducing congestion, postnasal drip, and sneezing. Moreover, according to the National Institutes of Health research, butterbur (a herbal supplement), probiotics, and acupuncture can improve the immune system against seasonal allergies.