You may wonder whether you have bed bugs on your body or not. To know it, you have to know the signs of bed bug bites. So, here I will inform you of the signs of bed bug bites and also some other information about bed bugs.
The Signs of Bed Bug Bites
If there are bed bugs on your body, you may be bitten by them and they are able to bite anywhere on your body. However, usually they bite when you are sleeping and they tend to bite on areas which are exposed during sleeping such as neck, arms, face, hands, legs, and shoulders. Since bed bugs bite people when they are sleeping, so usually people do not feel that they are bitten. However, when they wake up, they will find that there are red dots on their skin which signify that they are bitten by the bed bugs.
According to the Medical News Today site, here are some symptoms of bed bug bites.
- You feel a burning painful sensation.
- You have a raised itchy bump with a clear center.
- You have a red itchy bump with a dark center and lighter swollen surrounding area.
- You have small red bumps or welts in a zigzag pattern or a line.
- You have small red bumps surrounded by blisters or hives.
- There are popular eruptions or areas of skin with raised or flat patches that may be inflamed.
- There are small spots of blood from bites often dried or stained onto sheets or bed clothing.
- You find reddish or reddish-brown dried stains on fabrics because of bed bug droppings.
- You find white or clear skins, shed by the nymphs as they grow to be adults.
However, it is also explained on the Medical News Today site that the characteristics of bed bug’s bite and the person who is bitten affect the resulting sore.
For some people, bed bug bites can cause severe reactions and symptoms and if it happens, they need medical attention. Those severe reactions include blisters, fever, difficulty breathing, feeling nauseous or flu-like, swollen tongue, and irregular heartbeat.
When Do Bed Bugs Bite?
When you wake up in the morning, you may find that you have red dots due to bed bug bites. However, you do not know when bed bugs bite you. You do not realize it. Well, bed bugs are usually active at night and they bite people when people are sleeping. The way they feed is by piercing the skin and withdrawing blood by using their elongated beak. These bugs will feed from three to 10 minutes until they are engorged and then they will crawl away.
At first, most bed bug bites are painless. However, then it can turn into itchy welts.
The Best Way to Treat Bed Bug Bites
Usually, if people are bitten by bed bugs, they will be better in 1 to two weeks. The symptoms can be relieved by doing the things below as explained on the Healthline site.
- You are able to apply an over-the-counter or prescription steroid cream. It is given to decrease inflammation and itching.
- You are able to reduce itching and burning by taking an oral antihistamine.
- To relieve swelling and pain, you are able to use an over-the-counter pain reliever.
- Before you sleep, you are able to take a Benadryl to decrease itching or you can have a doctor prescribe a stronger antihistamine.
Beside over-the-counter medications, there are some home remedies that you can apply to help you relieve the symptoms of bed bug bites. According to the Healthline site, you are able to try applying one or more of the things below.
- You can apply a cold cloth or an ice pack wrapped in a towel.
- You are able to apply a thin paste of baking soda and water.
Treating Bed Bug Bites on A Baby
How about bed bug bites on a baby? Do we have to apply the tips above? Well, if you think that your baby has been bitten by bed bugs, the first thing that you have to do is to check their mattress, sheets, bed frame and also nearby baseboards to find the signs of bed bugs. After that, you have to wash the bites on their skin with soap and water. It is done to help treat bed bug bites on your baby.
You can also apply a cold compress or over-the-counter anti-itch creams or low-strength steroids. It is better if you cut the baby’s nails short so that they will not scratch their skin. If you want to use topical steroid creams or oral antihistamines for your baby to treat the bed bug bites, you are able to talk with the doctor of your child or pharmacist. It is because there are some medications which may not be safe for babies or young children.
How to Remove Bed Bugs At Home
After you find red dots on your skin where the signs are the same as the explanation above that you have been bitten by bed bugs, it means that there are bed bugs at your home. If so, you surely have to get rid of bed bugs at your home.
How to remove bed bugs at home? According to the WebMD site, the first thing that you can do is to clean beddings, curtains, linens, and clothing in hot water. Then, you have to dry them on the highest dryer setting. You have to put stuffed animals, shoes and other items that are not able to be washed in the dryer and run on high for 30 minutes.
You also have to scrub mattress seams by using a stiff brush to remove bed bugs and their eggs. Then, if you have scrubbed them, you have to vacuum your bed and surrounding area often. Soon after you vacuum them, you have to put the vacuum cleaner bag in a plastic bag and put it in the garbage can outdoors.
You also have to encase mattress and box springs with a tightly woven, zippered cover. It is done to keep bed bugs from entering or escaping. It is better to keep the cover on your mattress for at least a year to make sure all bugs in the mattress are dead. If there are cracks, it must be repaired in plaster and you have to glue down peeling wallpaper to remove places bed bugs can hide. At last, remove clutter around the bed.
