Allergy testing referrals for expats in the EU

Every spring the same thing happens to thousands of expats in Spain: the olive and plane-tree pollen arrives, your eyes itch, you are going through tissues at an unreasonable rate, and the antihistamine you brought from home has run out. You wonder whether you should finally get tested — and then you hit the same wall as everything else here: how does the healthcare system work, in a language you are still learning?

Allergies are common, usually manageable, and worth taking seriously. Here is what an assessment involves, what testing actually looks like, and what an online GP can do for you.

When it is worth talking to a doctor about allergies

Most seasonal allergy symptoms can be managed with pharmacy treatments and simple habits. A consultation is worth your time when:

• Pharmacy antihistamines are not controlling your symptoms, or stop working partway through the season.
• Symptoms appear in a pattern you cannot explain — certain months, certain places, after certain foods.
• Your sleep or work is being affected every year, and you want a plan rather than another year of trial and error.
• You have had a reaction that frightened you, even once.

What a video GP can do

A lot, actually. Allergy care starts with history-taking, and history-taking is exactly what a consultation does well. A video GP can:

• Assess your symptom pattern, triggers, and what you have already tried.
• Discuss treatment options and, where clinically appropriate and following a genuine evaluation, issue a prescription that is valid at Spanish pharmacies and across the EEA.
• Advise which over-the-counter options are available in Spain and how they compare to what you used at home.
• Refer you onward for formal testing when the picture calls for it.

What allergy testing actually involves

This is where an honest note matters: definitive allergy testing is done in person. The two standard approaches are:

• Skin prick testing — tiny amounts of suspected allergens placed on the skin, results in about 20 minutes. Done in a clinic, because there is a small risk of a reaction that needs staff on hand.
• Specific IgE blood tests — a blood draw, analysed in a laboratory, often used when skin testing is not suitable.

A video GP cannot perform either. What the consultation can do is determine whether testing is likely to be useful, explain which type fits your case, and guide you to the right local service — in Spain's public system that usually means a primary-care doctor referring you to an allergist, or a private allergology clinic if you prefer to pay directly.

Red flags: when this stops being routine

Seek emergency care immediately — call 112 or get to an emergency department — for any of the following:

• Difficulty breathing or a tight throat.
• Swelling of the lips, tongue, or face.
• Dizziness or fainting, especially after a food, insect sting, or new medication.

These are features of a severe allergic reaction, and they are never a video-consultation matter. If you have been prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector, carry it, and ask for replacement where clinically appropriate before it expires.

Practical steps for this season

1. Check the pollen forecast for your region (Spain publishes regional pollen calendars) and plan outdoor time accordingly.
2. Get your pharmacy supplies before the peak, not during it.
3. If this is the year you want answers, book a video consultation with an English-speaking GP: bring a list of your symptoms, when they started, and everything you have tried.

Living somewhere new should not mean starting your allergy care from zero. The medical logic is the same everywhere; you just need a doctor who can speak it in your language.