Bed Bug Bites Treatment

Bed bugs are small, oval and brownish insects that infest the house just like cockroaches, termites and fleas. These tiny insects are just 1/4 inches (size of an apple seed) and are hard to be spotted by the naked eyes. Bed bugs belong to the insect family Cimicidae that are parasites and feed on hosts, like animals, birds and human.

A bed bug has a lifespan of one year and it mostly thrives on human blood. Generally, bed bugs feed on human blood during nights while you are asleep. Initially you may not realize the biting of bed bugs but when they spread on a large scale you may experience trouble in sleeping! The bed bugs pierce the skin using a proboscis rimmed with barbs. They suck the blood for near about 10 minutes and have stings that are double their body weight! It is believed that increasing number of tourists and third world immigrants has lead to the spread of bed bugs! Actually, bed bugs are parasites that travel throughout the world as they hide in the luggage of their hosts!

The immense use of pesticides (DDTs) in the USA in the late 50s eliminated the threat of bed bugs. But as the DDTs were banned in 1960s due to environmental concerns, the later decade saw the emergence of bed bugs. Again, in recent years the menace of these insects has spread to a large extent. Bed bugs are hardly seen in open areas and usually hide in the cervices of furniture, doors, windows, bathrooms, kitchen basins and stores rooms of our houses. Left unchecked, the growth of bed bugs increases drastically. A female bed bug reproduces nearly 300-500 eggs at a time and this leads to an exponential growth in their population.

Bed Bugs Bite Treatment
Treatment of bed bug bites involves medication, natural remedies, hygienic measures and precautions. Generally, a sensitive or an allergic skin is susceptible to skin rashes and small blisters, like inflammation. The skin rashes may be like hives and there may be swollen pus type formations on the skin. Some affects of bed bugs biting are anxiety, stress and insomnia. Bed bugs bites take time to recover. The following treatments are effective if you want to get rid of bed bugs or need a permanent solution to the skin rashes caused by bed bugs biting.

Medications in Bed Bugs Bite Treatment
Antiseptic lotions, creams and ointments reduce inflammation of the skin and reduce the rashes or itches. Creams like cortisone give relief from itching and skin irritation. Corticosteroids can be recommended in case of severe bed bugs bites. These measures can help you in providing bed bug bite healing. An expert advice is necessary before going for any medication related to bed bugs bite treatments.

Alternative Bed Bug Bite treatment
There are various alternative treatments for bed bugs. For instance, you can use lavender containing sprays that provide relief from skin irritation. Mint is another scented spice that can be a better option than garlic or cayenne owing to it's good aroma. Black pepper, red pepper and black walnut are other herbs that are effective in bed bugs bite treatment.

Hygiene in Bed Bug Treatment
No amount of treatment can be beneficial unless the threat of bed bug growth is eliminated. Hence, try to maintain a clean and healthy environment in and around your home. This helps to reduce risk factors to a considerable extent. Freeze the infested clothes or launder them in hot water (steam cleaning). Keep aside few clothes that you can wear while you are being treated for bed bug bites. Wash them in boiled water and then use. This checks the bed bug growth. Drying your clothes in natural sunlight also kills germs. Keep your furniture, carpets and other infested materials under the sun to kill bed bugs.

Pesticides and Bed Bug Treatment
Pesticide sprays such as permethrin, malathion etc. are used to effectively treat bed bugs infestation. But before you rush to your nearest store to bring these insecticides, a word of caution! Don't start applying pesticides or insecticides in your homes, especially the kitchen and dining places. Leave this job to the pest control experts.

Bed bugs have a unique smell that can easily be detected by dogs! You can train your dog to sniff the presence of bed bugs in your houses and lawns. You can even opt for electronic pest control methods. In 50% of the bed bug bite cases, the bitten person remains unaware of the stings. Mostly bed bug bites go unrecognized. However, when symptoms of skin inflammation appear then the person gets alarmed. Basically, scratching and rubbing of the affected parts leads to severe skin rashes. Hence, even if you feel the urge to scratch, avoid it and refer to the doctor.