What a Bed Bug Bite Looks Like
Have you ever woken up wondering why you have several red and itchy spots on your skin? Well, in such cases, it is highly likely that you these are bed bug bites and that you have an underlying bed bug infestation issue. A bed bug bite is typically described as a large, red swollen spot on the skin. The bite usually has a darker shade of red in the centre, while the peripheral region of the bitten spot is a lighter shade of red.
Moreover, usually a bed bug bite does not appear as a single lone spot on the skin. In fact, most commonly bed bug bites are seen to be appearing in a cluster of numerous red spots on a particular area of the skin, or these appear as several red spots placed as if queued together. In most cases, bed bug bites are often described to be accompanied with blisters or hives, which is one of the many ways to distinguish these bites from other allergic reactions, bites or diseases.
Bed bug bites can appear anywhere on the skin, but there are higher chances of these appearing in areas that are exposed while you are asleep, such as arms, hands and face.
Symptoms of Bed Bug Bites
Though, the above provided account is an accurate description of a bed bug bite, but in order to be sure of the fact that you are bitten by a bed bug and administer suitable treatment as soon as possible, it is essential that you familiarize yourself with the symptoms of bed bug bites.
As mentioned earlier in the article, you may never come across a lone bed bug bite mark like a mosquito bite; rather you’ll come across a group of these if you have a bed bug infestation problem. In addition, bed bug bite marks often appear in a zigzag pattern. These bite marks are the most evident sign of you being bitten by a bed bug. To be certain if what you are experiencing are bed bug bites, contact a professional bed bug exterminator in your area and send them a photo. A professional bed bug exterminator will easily be able to identify bed bug bites.
Few of the primary symptoms of bed bug bites that you might witness apart from the bite marks include welts appearing in a zigzag pattern, intense itching and bleeding (usually from scratching). However, the bleeding might be only very minimal which might present itself as blood spots on your bed cover.
Itching despite being one of the primary symptoms, may also take quite some time. Although most bed bug bites become itchy within a few hours, sometimes it may take up to 14 days before itching may be experienced.
Other serious and more severe symptoms of bed bug bites, which may even be life threatening, include rare occurrence of anaemia in patients, difficulty in breathing, acquiring of infections as a result of scratching, irregular heartbeat, prevalent feeling of continual sickness, swollen tongue, fever and blisters. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is advised that you seek medical help immediately.
Treatment of Bed Bug Bites
Bed bug bites can lead to life threatening conditions and it is recommended that you acquire suitable medical treatment for their cure, as soon as these are diagnosed.
Primary care for bed bug bites include consulting a dermatologist if you are suffering from any of the evident symptoms such as bite marks, blisters, skin infection which are usually identified as the occurrence of tender marks that discharge pus and allergic reactions like the formation of hives.
Each of these conditions require special care and dermatologists often suggest the administration of specialised medicine and separate remedial applications for treating various conditions arising as a result of bed bug bites.
Severe allergic reactions on skin are treated through the administration of epinephrine, antihistamine or corticosteroid injections. This is very rare as bed bug bites are usually harmless.
In case you acquire an infection, an antibiotic is the preferred medicinal remedy. Mild infections can easily be treated through the application of antiseptic ointments. Itching can easily be treated through the administration of antihistamine liquid or pill or through the application of corticosteroid ointments and various over the counter anti-itch products.
It is also suggested that as soon as you come across any bite marks or other apparent symptoms of bed bug bites, wash it lightly with soap water to prevent itchiness and infection, and refrain from scratching as this tends to make the bed bug bites react even worse.
Differentiating Bed Bug Bites
Bed bug bites can be hard to differentiate from other more common mosquito and flea bites. In fact, you might not come across any concrete evidence of having a bed bug bite until you might witness any signs of infestation in your surroundings. However if you live in Canada where climates change and mosquitos are not out in fall and winter, then you can be more sure you have a bed bug issue if you notice bites during the colder times of year like fall, winter and beginning of spring.
The major reason behind the ambiguity that surrounds the certain realisation of being bitten by bed bugs, concerns the injection of an anaesthetic and an anticoagulant into the human body. You may not even realise that you have been bitten by a bed bug, until bite marks appear, which may take from few hours to several days before displaying themselves on your skin.
As stated earlier, these marks are very similar to other common bug bite marks, and you may identify any marks as bug bite marks if you experience insomnia, anxiety, intense itching around the bitten region and emergence of other skin problems, allergies and infections.
However, it may also happen that you may not show any obvious signs of bed bug bites at all. Though, some may develop severe allergic reactions as a result of bed bug bites, such as appearance of relatively larger bite marks, painful swellings and rare occurrence of anaphylaxis.
Prevention of Bed Bug Bites
Though bed bug bites do not often pose a serious threat to the health and safety of a patient, in rare cases these may give rise to acute and severe conditions. For this very reason, it is recommended that you take all the necessary preventive measures.
Obviously, the only way to prevent the occurrence of bed bug bites is to eliminate all chances of bed bug infestation in your homes and surroundings. Your best option is to contact a reputable bed bug exterminator in your area. For a guaranteed, low price bed bug exterminator in Toronto contact Bed Bug Exterminator Pro at (416) 566-4079.
In case you come across any signs of infestation and are located in Southern Ontario you can contact pest control Toronto or another reputable and trusted professional pest control company to ensure the application of all the necessary measures.
Also, inspect your houses regularly to be able to treat bed bug infestation timely.