Bed Bug Bites

Each of us has a different reaction to bed bugs bites. Some of us swell up with big red welts, while others don’t even notice that they are getting bitten. Just like my daughter Kathleen gets a giant bump if bitten by a mosquito, while her sister only gets a little red mark. It’s about how allergic we are to the saliva of bed bugs that is injected while the bed bug is biting you to anesthetize the area of the bite. Your reaction is also determined by the size of the bed bug that is biting you. A fully-grown bug will inject a lot of anesthesia, while a nymph will only inject a small amount. As the nymph grows, the amount of anesthesia it injects will increase and you will become more and more away that you have a growing infestation.

Bed bug bites may result in welts, blisters and occasionally permanent scarring. The most common reactions are itchiness and inflammation. Bed bugs will bite any area of exposed flesh, including the face, neck, shoulder, arms, hands and legs. I have had customers tape their sleeves and PJ pant legs to prevent the bed bugs biting. You would have to completely cover any bare skin to prevent them from biting for over a year to use this as a treatment method. As soon as there is a hint of exposed skin, the bugs will be back and biting in full force. Fleas, on the other hand, love areas covered with hair and only bite humans when no hairy host is around.

Bed bug bites are distinctive as they usually form a pattern consisting of three dots close together. Often people refer to this as the Breakfast Lunch and Dinner Pattern. In my experience, I have noticed two things about why, when a couple are sleeping in the same bed, one person complains of bites while the other has no symptoms whatsoever. Firstly, with an early bed bug infestation, the bugs will often be located on one side of the mattress and in a small area, like around your neck, torso or feet. When they come out at night, they are going to walk the shortest distance possible to chow down. As the infestation increases and the bed bugs search for new territory, they will migrate to other areas of the mattress and start enjoying dinner with your bedmate. Often, it is once the second person is getting bitten that action is taken to eradicate the infestation. The one other thing I have noticed is that women tend to be significantly more delicious than men. So many times, there are a husband and wife in the same bed, and it is the wife who is first to notice the problem. Once the husband gets a bed bug bite, he springs into action and calls Bed Bugs Dead Bugs.

Symptoms That May Develop Due to Bed Bug Bites

You may notice symptoms immediately after getting a bed bug bite or it may take a few days to see the welt. If you can stop yourself from scratching the bite, the itching will be gone within a week. If you just must scratch, you are at risk of causing an infection and subsequently a scar. In extreme cases, people have developed difficult breathing, a swollen tongue, fever or an irregular heartbeat. If any of these symptoms present themselves, you will need to see a doctor.

One thing for sure is that you will suffer anxiety, sleep deprivation and decreased general well-being. The thought of having to go to bed while the bed bugs lie in wait to bite you is traumatic. You may lie awake for hours wondering if that little itch you feel is a bed bug about to strike. Bed bugs do not come out right away when you hit the pillow. As they sense your breathing over several hours, they start to emerge around 3 am to just before sunrise. By this time, you are thoroughly exhausted after pulling out your flashlight trying to catch a live bug as it crawls across your pillow on the attack. Now that you are fast asleep, that little bloodsucker goes in for the kill. You wake up the next morning, sleep deprived and covered in more bites.

Bed Bug Bite Treatments

If you have just discovered a few bed bug bites and want immediate relief, you can use items from your bathroom and kitchen cupboards, like apple cider vinegar or toothpaste on the affected area. Over-the-counter treatments are available from your local pharmacy including hydrocortisone cream to help reduce itchiness and prevent scarring. All you need to do is apply a thin layer over the affected area 2-3 times daily to relieve discomfort.

Serious itching can be relieved by products that include an antihistamine. You may want to ask your pharmacist for advice on the best form to take, i.e. liquid, tablets or caplets. Antihistamines reduce the reaction to the anesthetic in the bites. Should symptoms persist or increase, it is recommended that you consult with your family doctor to get a suitable medication, including an injectable corticosteroid or epinephrine medication before infection sets in an you require antibiotics.

A way to put an end to bed bug bites is through proper identification and a complete extermination. You probably have heard that bed bugs have become immune to the pesticide sprays used today. In fact, some customers reported the bed bugs avoiding the areas that were sprayed, making it completely ineffective. Any spray or powder is useless unless the bed bug comes in contact with it.

Bed Bug Solutions

Science has proven that bed bugs die at 45C. Using Bed Bugs Dead Bugs’ equipment, you can heat up your room to 60C and kill all stages of a bed bug’s life – from egg to nymph to adult, thus eliminating the cycle of life. Say goodbye to bed bugs and bed bug bites in a single heat treatment.

Call Adrienne at Bed Bugs Dead Bugs today and find out how we can help find the best and most affordable solution to eliminate your bed bug infestation.