Bedbug Bite Symptoms

If you thought that little mosquito buzzing around your ear was the only thing that could bother you while you tried to sleep, think again. Bed bugs have been infesting American homes since WWII, and there has been a steady increase ever since. If you haven't heard about them, that's probably because their bites commonly go unnoticed or mistaken for other insect bites. Once you get bit, there's nothing you can really do to get rid of it. The best thing to do is recognize a bed bug bite, so you can take the appropriate steps to get the insects out of your house for good.

Significance

• Bed bugs are oval insects that belong to the Cimicidae insect family. They are as small as 1.5 mm in length and can grow as long as 5 to 7 mm. Their flat bodies can be mistaken for ticks or small cockroaches, and their wings are vestigial, meaning the bugs can't fly. Adults are reddish-brown and appear more red just after feeding, and nymphs are clear and appear bright red just after feeding.

Function

• Bed bugs feed by sucking the blood from humans or animals. The bugs are most active at night and bite any exposed areas of skin. The face, neck, hands and arms are common sites for bed bugs to bite while an individual is sleeping.

Features

• They live in any articles of furniture, clothing or bedding, and they can spread rather quickly. Bed bugs can live on clothing from infested homes and may even be spread by a person unknowingly wearing infested clothing. If you're unsure whether your home in infested with bed bugs, you can do a couple of checks to get to the conclusion. Look to see if you can identify the fecal stains, egg cases and skin sheddings in crevices and cracks on or near beds.

Identification

• The bite is small, flat or a raised bump on the skin. A good way to tell if you have bed bug bites is by recognizing their specific feeding pattern. Bed bug bites tend to be lined up in a row. This is known as the "breakfast, lunch and dinner" sign, signifying the sequential feeding that occurs from site to site. The bites usually go unnoticed or mistaken for flea bites, mosquito bites and other types of rash or skin conditions.

Effects

• The bite itself is painless and is usually not noticed. The most common signs are redness, swelling and itching. If the bite is scratched, the area can become infected and you'll need to follow proper disinfecting procedures. Rubbing alcohol on the area can prevent from infection. The bites usually last longer than mosquito bites and can sometimes be more itchy. It may also take up to nine days after being bit to actually see the bite marks, but most people with have little or no reaction.

Treatment

• If itching is severe, steroid creams or oral antihistamines may be used for symptom relief. Infections that develop over heavily scratched areas may require the use of antibiotics. The bites will usually go away within a week or two. If the pain and discomfort is too much to bear (highly unlikely), go consult your doctor.