Treatment for Biting Mites

Mites are not something that you'd think would come in a variety, however, there are various types of mites that affect both humans and animals. While scabies and bird mites are a couple of the varieties, chiggers, or red bugs, are the most common type to afflict humans. The bites from these parasites can cause itchy, red welts that can cause discomfort if not treated. It's important to get mite bites treated as soon as possible, to avoid further discomfort.

Identification

• Chiggers are small bugs, red or reddish-orange in color. The larvae feature six legs, while the adult chiggers have eight. These mites, related to the tick family, are hard to see without a magnifying glass. Chiggers prefer damp places and can often be found in areas that have tall weeds or grass. In addition, lawns are also another common place to find these mites, especially in the spring.

Effects

• The effects of chigger bites on humans is uncomfortable but not dangerous. When the chigger bites a human, they inject a non-poisonous saliva-type fluid into the victim. The human body's reaction to this saliva is a raised, red bump. The chigger will then withdraw the victim's body fluids by siphoning them through a type of feeding tube they feature. If unnoticed, chiggers can feed for approximately four days. However, the bite is typically so uncomfortable that the victim will begin scratching almost immediately.

Pre-treatment

• The most important thing to remember after noticing a chigger bite is that the affected area needs to be washed as soon as possible after being bitten with soapy, warm water. This will remove some of the saliva around the bite area to prevent further irritation. Unfortunately soapy, warm water alone will not cure the problem. You will need to further treat the area in order to keep the redness, swelling and irritation at bay.

Treatment

• There are a few different products on the market to treat the annoying itching and redness caused by a chigger bite. You might have seen some of these products on TV commercials, claiming to bring relief. The most common products used, however, are calamine lotion and ointments that contain hydro-cortisone. Both of these products will keep the itching from a chigger bite to a minimum. If you have a series of chigger bites, soaking in colloidal oatmeal can also bring relief.

Considerations

• If you have tried hydro-cortisone, oatmeal or calamine treatments to no avail, see a physician as soon as possible. He or she might be able to prescribe something to treat the chigger bites. Keeping grass and weeds in your yard cut short is a good way to combat the infestation of chiggers. In addition, if you are out hiking in tall grassy areas, make sure you wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts. This will also keep chiggers from attaching to you.