House Centipede Bite

People staying in Michigan are quite familiar with the house centipede. This one and half-inch elongated insect is no stranger to Michigan homes. It is observed that house centipedes can move very quickly as they are equipped with 15-17 pairs of legs. Centipedes in the house like to stay in damp environment. No wonder, they are commonly found in the bathroom.

Symptoms

So, what does a house centipede bite look like? It resembles to that of a snakebite as the site of bite shows two very small holes accompanied by formation of blisters. The house centipede is equipped with sharp claws (fangs) just below the head. When it bites, it sinks the two fangs into the skin to inject toxin. Some of the symptoms are given below:

Minor Issues
A house centipede bite usually is bound to cause mild to moderate pain that usually remains confined to the affected area. The stung area may also trigger itching sensation and also appear swollen. Usually, house centipede are small but if a large one creeps into the house and bites, blisters, irritation and pain it is going to cause will be on a greater scale. A large centipede insect can cause substantial swelling and completely mar the appearance of superficial skin. The pain usually goes away within 4-5 hours but in some cases the discomfort might keep on troubling the person for several days.

Major Issues
In rare cases, being bitten by a house centipede can become a worrisome issue. Severe symptoms are usually associated with people who are hypersensitive and intolerant towards insect bites. Babies, infants and small children are more susceptible to serious reactions from house centipede bite. These are discussed below:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Raised body temperature
• Elevated blood pressure
• Headache
• Heart palpitations
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Severe irritation and itching

Treatment

Usually treatment revolves around some home remedies and over the counter medicines that help to resolve the issue. Firstly, it is necessary to clean the site of bite. For this, make use of antibacterial soap and rinse it with warm water. This will ensure that the affected site does not contract a secondary infection. After cleaning, dry the wound properly. This is followed by topical application of numbing agent like benzocaine to reduce the pain. In order to decrease the itching sensation, one may use hydrocortisone creams.

Caution
A small child bitten by centipede must be looked after seriously and it demands an urgent appointment with a doctor. Centipede bite symptoms may aggravate rapidly in children. So, apart from implementing the aforementioned treatment method, one should immediately consult a doctor. Also, if adults feel that symptoms are not improving, talking to a health care provider is essential.

How to Get Rid of Centipede

Finding centipede in the bathroom, kitchen or bedroom indicates too much presence of insects like termites, bedbugs, cockroaches. This is because, these insects form the staple food for centipede. So, get rid of these insects, if you are really serious about eliminating house centipedes. Use various pest control methods to eliminate bedbugs and termites. One can also use boric acid that target the centipedes. Sprinkle boric acid powder in moist areas where they commonly occur. It is an inexpensive way to kill this menace. As house centipede love to stay in damp environment, one can install dehumidifiers to reduce the level of moisture in the air. As far as possible, keep the bathroom, basements and closets dry. House centipede do not prefer to live in dry environment and so they are likely to move out of your hose and search for other places.

On the whole, if you feel that you have been bitten by a house centipede, check whether the aforementioned treatment options work for you. In case, you find that the symptoms are worsening with time, contacting to a doctor should be your topmost priority