Are bed bugs bites itchy? Bed bugs bites are itchy and painful but only for some people. They can be harmful if one develops allergic reaction to the bites. How can you stop and relieve the bites fast? How long does the itchiness last? Find out more in this post including how to stop the itch with home remedies.
No one wants to be interrupted while sleeping after a tiresome day. We all want quality sleep to refresh our minds and body. But think about this, being woken up by itchy and painful bites from bed bugs. Irritating, right? Although the bites may not be dangerous as such but the itchiness is annoying.
Bed bug infestation is a terrible experience to encounter. Bed bugs have figured out how to invade your home and in your bedroom and disrupt your sleep. They will make a meal out of you from their constant bites.
So, are bed bugs bites itchy? Bed bug bites are itchy but only for some people. Some people may not find the bites itchy or painful since these insects inject the skin with anesthetic which makes the area pierced numb for a while.
Where do bed bugs come from?
Bed bugs are sneaky insect that can invade our homes without our knowledge. These tiny pests the size of an apple seed can sneak into your homes from anywhere. It could be your favorite chilling spot such as the gym, hotels, office or anywhere else where initially there was bed bugs. You may carry the bed bugs in your belongings such as clothes, electronics, furniture or couch.
Where Do Bed Bugs Bite Humans?
Obviously, bed bugs are only interested on human blood. How do they get the blood? Your skin is the only barrier on your body that happens to prevent the bugs from accessing the blood. In most cases, bed bugs will go for the bare skin that also happens to be hairless.
Bed bugs naturally don’t have the ability to traverse through hair which covers your skin, your head and private parts. This parts makes it hard for the bed bugs to pierce through the skin and draw blood as fast as possible. In rare cases though would you find the bed bugs in your hair?
So, the skin which is the largest organ is the perfect place to access blood. Usually, most part of the exposed skin is usually available for the bugs to bite. Your arms, legs, neck and face are the most likely parts to get bed bug bites.
Are Bed Bugs Bites Painful, Dangerous?
Bed bug bites are not painful as such. In fact, some people will only react to the bites after the bugs are done sucking blood. Bed bugs tend to inject anesthesia before they pierce through the skin to draw blood.
While some people will develop itchy red welts after the bites, others may develop mild symptoms which will reduce after just scratching the bitten area. That having said, bed bug bites are not dangerous unless they develop into hives or blisters with pus which may in some cases require medical attention.
What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like, Pictures
What do bed bug bites look like? It is easy to confuse bed bug bites with other bug bites. Here’s how to identify the signs of a bed bug bite:
- The bite appear in a cluster or a line
- Very itchy
- The bites may in some people develop into blisters especially when scratched continuously
- Red and swollen
A bed bug bite appearance is quite similar to other bug bites. There is little difference about the bed bug bites appearance from other bug bites. Maybe the only difference is that, bed bug bites tend to appear in a line or a cluster. Bed bugs cannot fly thus their bite tend to concentrate in one area forming a certain pattern or line.
Let’s distinguish bed bug bite from a flea, mosquito bite and hives. Here’s the difference:
Flea bites tend to have a red spot right in the middle of the swollen area. The most common part to have flea bites include areas around your joints such as the armpits.
Mosquito bites on the other hand look more or less like the bed bug bites but only that they don’t appear in a cluster or line but instead appear randomly on exposed part of the skin. Unlike bed bugs, mosquitos fly and they will bite any part of your skin that is exposed.
Hives on the other hand are as a result of an allergic reaction to something. Hives unlike bed bugs tend to often change location and color.
When Do Bed Bugs Bite?
Rarely would you find bed bugs during the day. Bed bugs are naturally nocturnal pest which implies that are mostly lively at night. They are good at it in the night especially when you are asleep. They bite when you are inactive and in most cases when you are deep in sleep.
They have the ability to locate you during sleep since that is the moment when you exhale carbon dioxide. It is also this time, when your body generates warmth.
Although bed bugs as put earlier they bite during the night, they can also bite during the day. There is nothing that will stop a hungry bed bug from biting you during the day.
How long do bed bugs do bites last
If you’ve never experienced bed bugs bite, you may not know how long do bed bug bites last. Bed bugs bites resemble small red welts and can last up to two weeks or more. To relieve the symptoms of bed bug bites, you may need to apply anti-itch cream or calamine lotion to bites to relieve the symptoms.
You can also use an over-the-counter pain reliever to relieve the symptoms of the bites such as pain and swelling.
Rarely do the bed bug bites cause allergic reaction. But should you develop any signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction, visit your healthcare provider.
There are instances where bedbug bites cause an infection called cellulitis. To reduce the risk of this infection, wash the area with soap and water. Resist the urge to scratch the bites.
How long do Bed Bugs bites itchiness Last
Remember we mentioned that some people may not experience the itch. But in most cases, the itchiness tend to last for about an hour or so. This entirely depends if you experience the itchiness or not. Some people may get bitten but don’t experience the itchiness at all. It also applies to bites. While some people will have a severe reaction others will have a mild reaction just a simple scratch and itchiness is gone.
Home Remedies for Stopping the Bed Bug Itchiness
A bed bug bite that doesn’t cause any severe reaction tend to relief on its own. It may take an hour or so for the itching to stop. But if the bed bug itch becomes unbearable, you may try the following home remedies to stop the itchiness:
- Apply ice pack or cold compress on the itchy run, alternatively run cold water on the bite
- Apply a thin layer of baking soda paste to relieve the pain
- To soothe the itchy area, apply essential oil like calamine
- Anti-itch cream can also relieve the pain and itchiness, rub a thin layer of anti-itch cream
- Take over-the-counter medication such as antihistamine to reduce swelling and pain
You can purchase soothing cream to stop the itchiness from bed bug bites – Buy on Amazon
Home remedies are only meant to reduce the symptoms such as swelling and pain. You may need to seek medical attention if the itch develop into hives.
How to Stop Itching From Bed Bug Bites
Although most bed bug bites would heal on their own in an hour or so, there are few remedies or treatment options to stop itching. You can stop itching from bed bug bites by first cleaning the bitten area with soap and water. Apply a thin layer of anti-itch creams on the surface. If the itching doesn’t stop, you can also buy over-the-counter antihistamines to reduce swelling and pain or just in case you develop allergic reaction.
