Human beings have co-excited with bed bugs for a many millennia. The survival of these human parasites entirely relies on humans. They solely feed on blood as their primary source of nutrition. They feed on human blood, primarily.
Although these bloodsuckers have not yet shown any sign of transmitting diseases through their feeding, doctors pose a concern on other health risks associated with bedbug bites. They can cause both mild and severe health effects depending on how much your home is infested.
Most people are familiar with bedbugs’ bites. If you have seen the bite in a photo, you must have been scared or even thought they were like a series of skin rashes. If you have had the experience of sleeping in an infested bed, you can attest to the fact that the bites are itchy and frustrating. However, doctors confirm that the bites only rarely cause medical harm to your body. We share those possible effects, also.
Here are doctors’ explanations on how to identify the bite of this bloodsucking insect.
Doctors Explain the Dangers of Bed Bugs and How to Identify Bed Bug Bites
Bedbug bites are often visible and easy to distinguish from other nocturnal bites. The blood-sucking bugs have elongated beaks to pierce your skin and suck blood. They inject you with an anesthetic, and you will not notice the three to ten minutes they spend sucking up your blood. Doctors recommend that you follow the following steps before you can conclude that pierce on your skin is a bedbug bite.
1 – Noticing A Bite That You Did Not Feel Before You Retired to Bed Could Be A Bed Bug Bite
The likelihood of you feeling a bite from this insect is minimal because once they pierce your skin, they hit you with an anesthetic. If you have no allergic reaction as they feed on your blood, you might be having this insect nibble on you without your knowledge.
They use their ability to go unnoticed to feed on you for as many times as possible.
2 – Presence of New Marks on Your Skin When You Wake Up
These insects mostly feed at night. They can stay in their hiding places and wait for the perfect time to feed. Doctors say that the nocturnal timing is also another sign to tell that a bite came from a bed bug.
3 – Presence of Clear or Dark Center Bites indicate a Bed Bug Bite
Commonly when you get a bug bite its easy to differentiate it a typical bug bite from a bedbug. The best way to do it is by examining the center of the bite. For the normal insect bite, you will see a visible hot red bite. The center for their bites is often red and swollen because of your reaction with the toxins from the bug.
On the other hand, the bite of this little blood sucker is unique. In most cases, it is has a clear center. The center may also be darker with bright red fading at the center. The center is always clear because this particular insect has a long beak for sucking your blood. The long beak prevents any reaction between your blood and that of the insect.
4 – Presence of Dried Blood Spots on Your Pajamas or Sheets Is an Indication of a Bed Bug Bite
Bedbugs often leave a large hole after piercing your skin with their big beaks. You should examine your body for bed bug bites if you wake up and find dried blood on your skin or pajamas. In most cases, you can also inspect your bed sheets for blood and physical presence of bedbugs.
5 – If the Bites Are in Line, it May Indicate the Presence of These Insects
Doctors say that you can identify bed bug bite by examining the pattern of their bites. They say that multiple bites that are in a zigzagged or straight line, then such are bed bug bites.
Multiple bites in a straight line are a clear sign of bed bug bites in most cases.
6 – The Presence of Multiple Bites Lines in Three Indicate an Issue
You should also seek help if you notice multiple bites that are often in threes. They refer this tendency as a bedbug triangle. They often move in groups of three and like leaving behind multiple groups of three swollen bites.
7 – Swollen Bites Indicate the Presence of Bed Bugs
Doctors believe that swollen bite may not be a common infestation sign because most people react differently. However, you will get constant irritations if you have swollen bites on your body. For those whose bodies don’t swell after a bed bug bite, you will notice flat red dots that depict typical bed bug bites.
Other people also check for a mosquito-like bite that is a little bite raise or swollen. Be keen to check how your family members react to bed bug bites to prevent life-threatening reactions. For instance, although rare, some people might experience anaphylactic shock due to bed bug bites.
If You See Bed Bugs, Then the Bites on Your Exposed Skin Are from Bed Bugs
Human beings are the primary source of food for bed bugs. Therefore, if you notice them in your house, you can absolutely be sure they are feasting on you. Be sure to check your body for any bites to be sure that they are not just from elsewhere.
Checking cannot be difficult because bed bugs rarely bite in secluded areas. Unlike other bugs you can see bed bug bites on any exposed part of your body.
Now that you know how to identify bed bug bites, your worry should shift to if your life is in real danger. Fortunately, doctors say that bed bugs cannot transmit diseases to humans. Your concern should be on the different physical and mental health effects associated with bed bugs bite. Having shone light on all that, here are the effects doctors explain about the dangers of bed bugs
The Hidden Dangers of Bed Bugs
1 – Bed Bugs Can Cause Allergic Reactions
Many people get these bites each day, but they don’t even notice. Others who quickly see the bite dismiss them as the normal mosquito’s’ bites because the swelling and readiness of both bites look somewhat alike.
Unless you experience allergic reactions upon being bitten, life will continue as usual. However,that if your body undergoes allergic reactions to insects bite, then you should seek attention right away, just like for any other allergen.
The effects of reactions range from no reaction to anaphylaxis that is also known as severe or whole-body reaction. You can treat mild allergic reactions after noticing small bite mark at home. Use your favorite OTC anti-itch ointments or allergic antihistamines or oral corticosteroids to get the relief you need.
2 – Bed Bug Bites Can Cause Secondary Infection
Although these specific bites don’t cause direct infection, they can result in constant scratching and itchy feelings. If you continue scratching your itchy bites, you might break and open your skin, allowing bacterial infections to form. Doctors recommend creams that can be applied directly on the bites to prevent secondary skin infections such as ecthyma, lymphangitis or even impetigo. You can also contact your doctor for a prescription on over-the-counter creams or even antiseptic drugs and ointments.
3 – Bed Bug Bites Can Cause Respiratory Problems
Bed bug bites can be life-threatening for a person suffering from respiratory problems. The presence of bed bugs in your home can cause anxiety or aggravate asthmatic attacks. If a member of your loved one has respiratory problems you should ensure that they are not exposed to bed bug dirt.
Besides the actual bites themselves, related pollutants such as sheddings, dry outer skins, casting, egg shells, and bug feces can trigger respiratory ailments.
4 – These Insects Can Impact the Mental Health of Some People
Those who sleep in bedbug-infested homes can tell how much discomfort they get from bed bug bites. A report Center for Disease Control and Prevention, tasked with devising new ways of controlling bed bugs, shows that American living in infested homes suffer from anxiety.
Some people often find it challenging to relax and sleep at night. Although sleep is important for a person’s health, those affected by bed bugs rarely sleep. They eventually end up to suffer from insomnia and systemic reactions.
Doctors encourage you to have your bites inspected to determine if they are real bed bug bites. Once ascertained it can be easy to protect yourself and family members from mental problems related to lack of sleep and anxiety.
5 – Bed Bug Bites Can Cause Anaemia in Extreme Cases
If a person lives in a home infested with thousands of these creepy pests, he or she can suffer anemia. However, such cases are only possible if the person has prior symptoms and risk factors of iron-deficiency. The fact is that bed bugs cannot cause anemia unless a person has a history of iron deficiency anemia. They can only worsen the symptoms.
Final Thoughts: Bedbugs Are More Creepy Than Dangerous, But May Still Pose a Threat
The possibility that you have encountered bed bugs in your life and failed to notice their bite is very high. Be aware that bed bug bites can cause you extreme distress in the night. Remember to keep in mind that bedbug bites do not cause direct health problems.
Instead, you will suffer indirect mental and health problems related to a bedbug bite. You should examine your body. You should also read on how to identify their bites and remember this explanation on the dangers of bed bugs.
