Bed Bug Bites
Do You Have Bed Bug Bites?
Few creepy crawlies have wrought more controversy or mysticism than the illusive bed bug. Bites on the arms, legs, neck, and stomach leave many people itching and puzzled after a long nights sleep, yet so few of them assume that they have been plastered with bed bug bites. The justifications are usually understandable, as we consider the fact that our homes may be a bit cluttered and dusty, but they are clean, and our sheets are changed and washed regularly. But once we have checked our pets for fleas, to no avail, and searched high and low for a nest of tiny baby spiders, we realize that we may very well have suffered bed bug bites.
Bed bugs are not a myth; they are very real, and quite opportunistic. For quite a long stretch of time, during the early part of the 20th century, the bed bug population decreased dramatically in Australia, Europe, and North America. But recently, more and more cases of bed bug sightings and bed bug bites have been reported, and the medical community has conceded that the bed bug population has resurged dramatically over the past five years. Bed bug bites look and feel much like small mosquito or spider bites, and should be treated as such. Much like the mosquito, the bed bug injects a bit of saliva into the skin of its host in order to ensure that the blood does not clot and moves freely into his mouth.
Those who have shown sensitivity toward spider or mosquito bites should watch very carefully for those same symptoms in association with bed bug bites. The bed bug enjoys stealing his meal while his hosts sleep, making for an effortless and safe feeding opportunity. If you have been bitten repeatedly, or for many nights in a row, your body may begin to react to the saliva injected upon the bed bug bites, and become sensitized to the attacks. This can, and will, happen even if you are not allergic to the protein elements within the saliva of the bed bug.
The bed bug, as mentioned, is very sneaky and determined, and can find multiple ways of invading your sleeping chambers. He is so difficult to detect that he can stowaway just about anywhere, included borrowed clothing, luggage, used furniture, pillows, and even plain old boxes. This is why you must be careful about introducing second hand furniture, clothing, and stuffed animals before thoroughly air out and treating them with a mild pesticide. Should you skip this step, and you or your family begins to experience bed bug bites, you will have a much tougher fight on your hands. Once they enter, the entire house and its contents are fair game.