Bedbugs are insects from the family Cimicidae. These insects feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals. Although not nocturnal, bedbugs usually feed during the night, when the hosts are asleep. What are the different bedbug symptoms?
One bedbug symptom is the bite marks that appear after sleeping on your couch or bed. These bite marks usually appear a few hours after getting bitten. Or it may also take a few days for the bedbug bites to appear. How can you identify a bedbug bite?
Bedbug bites are pink to red and can either be flat or raised. You will observe that the marks form a pattern, like 3 or more in a line. And you will see that they are a bit closer to one another. Scientists say that this pattern may be caused by disturbance while the bedbugs feed. They simply move a bit away from the other bite mark.
Reactions to bedbug bites can be different. Some people see the bite marks as soon as they wake. For others, it takes days for the bite marks to appear. And still, some people do not show any bedbug bite on their skin. Bedbugs do not carry diseases that can be transmitted through their bites.
Because people show different reactions to bedbug bites, some feel extremely itchy while others do not itch at all. The worst reaction to a bedbug bite is an allergic reaction, which rarely happens.
Antihistamines and systemic corticosteroids are used to treat the itching and burning caused by bedbug bites. These medicines cannot make the bedbug bites disappear.
Another medication is a topical corticosteroid. Applying this on the bedbug bites will relieve itchiness and burning. This will make the bite marks disappear, too. When you feel itchy, do not scratch the bedbug bites. This can cause scars.
The bite marks will tell you if you have a bedbug infestation. The next thing hat you must do is finding the area that is infested with bedbugs. A professional exterminator can kill the bedbugs for you. You can also kill these insects on your own.
