Have you woken up in the morning after a good night's sleep and found yourself with red, itchy rashes all over your body? Or are you covered in blisters all over your body? Most of the time, we think, "Oh, the mosquitoes bit you." But mosquitoes can't always be blamed. A small, very annoying creature that lives in your bed with you, but is not easily caught by your eye, can be responsible for this. Today, we are talking about these bed bugs, or as they are called in English, `(Bed Bugs)`, which have become a nuisance for many people in our country.
What are bed bugs? What do they look like?
Simply put, bed bugs are small insects that live by sucking the blood of humans and animals. Scientifically, they are called `(Cimex lectularius)`. They are like parasites, which means they need us to survive. They often feed on our blood at night when we are sound asleep.
Now let's see how to identify them.
- Adult bed bug: A fully grown bed bug is about the size of an apple seed (about 5-7 mm). It has a flat body and is a reddish-brown color. It has six legs.
- Young bed bugs: Young bed bugs are yellowish to white in color. Sometimes they are even translucent if they have not been bloodsucking.
- Eggs: Eggs are very small, about the size of a pinhead. They are pearly white. Eggs older than five days may have a small black spot.
The important thing is that a single female can lay between 200 and 500 eggs in her lifetime. This means that even if you have a few bed bugs in your home, it is likely to become a major infestation over time.
Where are these Mark Boshis hiding?
If you think that "bugs only live in dirty places," you are wrong. They actually don't care whether they are clean or dirty. They can be found anywhere, from a five-star hotel to our homes, boarding rooms, dormitories, buses, trains, and ships. They can be found in any country in the world.
Typically, bed bugs live about 8 feet away from where you sleep. They are most active at night. They are well hidden during the day.
Imagine how cleverly they hid.
- Along the seams of your mattress.
- Between the slats of the bed, between the holes and cracks in the bed frame and headboard.
- Along the seams of the cushions of a chair by the bed, a sofa.
- In the joints of bedside tables and drawers.
- If there is a small crack or bend in anything in your bedroom, it's in there.
- In the corners of the walls, behind peeling wallpaper, around electrical outlets.
A bed bug usually lives for about 6 months to 2 years. They only feed on blood every 3-7 days. But the amazing thing is, they can live for several months to a year without food.
How do I know for sure if there are bedbugs in my house?
Often, the first thing you think of is the blemishes on your body. But to be sure it's a foodborne illness, you need to take a closer look at your bedroom. Look for these signs.
| Identification mark | What is that? |
|---|---|
| A sweet, strange odor | If there is a slightly sweet, musty smell coming from the room, it could be a sign. |
| Red or rust-colored spots | Look for these stains on your bed sheets, clothes, or the wall next to your bed. These are actually the feces of bed bugs. They excrete these after they drink blood. |
| Exoskeletons | As bed bugs grow, they shed their skin. You can see these pieces of skin on the mattress and under the bed. |
| Live animals or eggs | Pull the seams of the mattress carefully. You might even find a living animal. |
Another thing is that bed bugs move a little slower than other small insects, so if you encounter one, you can try to identify it by looking at its speed.
What happens when you bite a bed bug? (Bites & Symptoms)
Just as you don't feel a mosquito bite while you're asleep, you don't feel a tick bite. There's a reason for that. When they bite us, they inject two special chemicals into our skin with their saliva.
1. An anesthetic: This makes us feel no pain.
2. An anticoagulant: This allows them to continue sucking blood easily.
So you only find out that you have an injury after a day or two.
What are the common symptoms?
These are the common symptoms that many people experience:
- Very itchy .
- Red bumps or blisters that look like pimples.
- Sometimes it feels like a burning sensation .
- Feeling slight pain or discomfort.
What do these blisters/blisters look like?
Not everyone experiences the same symptoms, but there are a few common ones.
- Red spots that appear in a row or zigzag pattern (this happens because the animal moves forward slowly and chews repeatedly).
- A pimple-like bump with a dark red dot in the center and a color lighter than the surrounding skin.
- Blisters filled with clear fluid.
- Some people may also develop raised, red or purple welts (hives).
Some people may not even notice any visible signs of a mosquito bite. For most people, it looks like a mosquito bite.
| Attention! Be careful of these dangerous symptoms! | |
|---|---|
Very rarely, some people can develop a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis after eating a tick. This can be life-threatening. If you have one or more of the following symptoms, go to the nearest hospital emergency room (ETU) immediately. | |
| Difficulty breathing | Tongue swelling |
| Large water blisters | Fever |
| Heart palpitations | Feeling very sick |
How to treat it? How to stop itching?
Fortunately, most of the time, eating a bad breakfast isn't a serious health problem. You can find relief by doing these simple things.
1. Wash thoroughly with soap: Gently wash the blister area with soap and water. This will help prevent infection.
2. Apply a cream to the rash: Apply a cream or lotion containing hydrocortisone 1%, such as hydrocortisone 1%, which you can buy at the pharmacy. Apply it once or twice a day.
3. See a doctor: If the itching is unbearable, your doctor may prescribe a stronger steroid cream or an antihistamine.
Most importantly: No matter how much it itches, don't scratch the bite! When you scratch with your nails, you can break the skin, allowing bacteria to enter and causing serious skin infections. If that happens, you may even need to take antibiotics.
How to completely eliminate makeup from your home?
As important as treating the body, it is important to completely eliminate these creatures from your home. Otherwise, you will have to continue to face this problem. This is a bit difficult and time-consuming. You may not be 100% successful the first time.
- Wash in hot water: Get all your clothes, sheets, pillowcases, and blankets together and wash them thoroughly in hot water (with soap). Then dry them on high heat for at least 20 minutes.
- Freeze: If you have items like clothes or toys that cannot be washed, put them in a well-sealed bag and keep them in the freezer (at a temperature below 0 degrees Celsius) for at least 4 days.
- Brush and vacuum: Scrub the mattress and bed frame with a stiff brush along the seams. Then vacuum the entire room thoroughly, especially around the bed.
- Steam clean: Use a steam cleaner that is set at a temperature higher than 55 degrees Celsius (130 Fahrenheit) to clean mattresses, carpets, and chairs. The high heat kills bed bugs and their eggs.
- Get help from a pest control professional: If the problem is severe, call an exterminator. They can use insecticide sprays to kill the bedbugs and their eggs. If you live in a rented home, be sure to tell your landlord about this.
How do you prevent bugs from coming into your home?
Prevention is always better than cure. By following these simple steps, you can greatly reduce the number of bed bugs coming into your home.
- Cover the mattress: Cover the mattress and box spring with special plastic covers to prevent bed bugs from entering.
- Vacuum regularly: Vacuum regularly, especially around where you sleep.
- Reduce unnecessary items in your home: When your home is cluttered, there are more places for bugs to hide.
- Seal cracks: Seal small gaps and cracks in walls, baseboards, and around light sockets.
- Be careful when traveling: If you're staying at a hotel or inn, lift the sheets and check the mattress as soon as you get to your room. Also check for bedbugs on chairs and sofas.
- Be careful when you get home: When you return home from a trip, put all the clothes you brought separately, wash them in hot water as soon as possible, and dry them thoroughly.
- Think twice before buying used items: Inspect used furniture, mattresses, and clothing carefully before bringing them home. They are likely to have defects.
How can you tell the difference between a mouse and a mouse that has eaten a bug or another animal?
It's common for many insect bites to itch, but we can guess which animal it is based on the pattern and location of the blisters.
| Animal / Insect | Nature and characteristics of the bite |
|---|---|
| Bed Bugs | Raised bumps. Often in a zigzag pattern or in rows. Most common on areas that touch the bed, such as the arms, legs, and back. |
| Fleas | Acne is similar to food poisoning. Small, raised bumps. Most often found on the legs and hips. |
| Mosquitoes | Blisters are usually solitary, isolated, and most common on skin not covered by clothing (arms, legs, face). |
| Scabies | These mites live under the skin. They appear as small red bumps and oozing fluid in places like skin folds and between the toes. Itching is worse at night. |
| Spiders | Most spider bites are not serious. However, some venomous spider bites can start as a single wound, then grow larger, causing severe pain and difficulty breathing. In such cases, you should go to the ETU immediately. |
Take-Home Message
- Living in a dirty house doesn't mean it's dirty. Anyone, anywhere, can face this problem.
- Be very careful when traveling, staying in a new place, and bringing home used items. Check for any signs of wear and tear.
- The best treatment for bed bug bites is to stop scratching. Scratching can lead to skin infections.
- Completely removing bed bugs from your home can be a challenge. If you can't do things like washing with hot water and vacuuming, seek professional help.
- If you have severe allergy symptoms such as difficulty breathing, fever, and swollen tongue, go to a hospital's Emergency Department (ETU) immediately.
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