The Need and Ways of Bed Bug Treatment
Bed bugs are parasitic brownish small insects that feed on their hosts such as animals, birds and humans. They are nocturnal in their activities. While you are asleep at night, they suck your blood for about 10 minutes through their stings that are double the weight of their bodies. If bitten by bed bugs, you may have a rash or itching sensation. You may have swelling on your skin also. Therefore, it is essential for you know about various means of dealing with bed bug treatments. Here are some signs that you have bed bugs:
Blood stains on your bed sheets or pillow covers
Offensive, musty odor
Bed bug fecal spots or egg shells
Dark spots of bed bug excrement.
The Health Aspect of bed bug bites
It is essential to know if the bites of bed bugs are contagious or harmful to your body. In general, they do not cause any serious health problems. A sensitive skin gets rashes, and small blisters like inflammation. There may also form swelling. The bites may lead to minor or even severe side effects such as nausea, sickness, allergy or even mental shock. The most harmful part of bed bug bites is the psychological impact it leaves on the victim of the bite such as anxiety, stress and insomnia. Therefore, bed bug treatment is a must for a trouble free living.
How to get rid of bed bugs?
The first step towards getting rid of bed bugs is to confirm their presence by visually inspecting your bedroom. They are very elusive and hide away at the slightest instance of human presence. In case of a severe infestation, you may need to call a professional exterminator. Other means of preventing bed bug bites are as follow:
Clean your room and any unnecessary clutter. Vacuum the carpets regularly and seal up any cracks in the wooden floors.
Bed bugs die at temperatures above 120 degrees F. Therefore, wash your bedding and clothing in hot water, for at least 20 minutes.
You may kill visible bugs by bed bug spray or by applying powders such as Diatomaceous Earth on upholstered furniture, bed frames or behind the headboard.
Encase the mattresses, pillows and bolsters with bed bug proof covers.
Use thick double-sided tape around the bottom of the bed frame. You can also use professional traps for detecting and preventing bed bugs bites.
Your problems related to bed bug bite treatments will be solved to a great extent if you know how to get rid of bed bugs.
Bed Bug Bite Treatments for your skin
For an immediate relief, wash the affected area with lukewarm water and clean it with anti-bacterial soap. This will minimize the irritation and inflammation.
Depending upon the severity of the bite, the treatments for your skin may vary. The most common and effective means of treatment is the application of baking soda with water. First, wash the areas affected by the bug bite with soap and water. Apply a thick and sticky paste of baking soda and after allowing it to dry for an hour, wash it off.
To control the itching, you can dab the rash with a cotton ball soaked in lemon juice or white vinegar. You may also apply concentrated peppermint oil or powdered oatmeal on the affected area. Herbal treatment for bug bites includes black pepper, red pepper, garlic and black walnut.
Over the Counter Medications
Apply hydrocortisone cream to relieve the itching.
Use Calamine Lotion for drying the rash and protecting the skin during the period of its healing.
Naproxen or Ibuprofen or anti-histamine such as Benadryl is used for reducing the swelling.
A topical anesthetic that contains pramoxine may also be used.
Bed bug Treatment Costs
Chemicals and thermal treatments could be applied for bed bug treatments of your home. The bed bug treatment cost may vary between $20 to $225 per treatment, exclusive of the minimum labor charge.
The size and number of rooms to be treated will determine the total cost involved in the total extermination of bed bugs. It varies from $400 to $5,000.
The room charge may vary from $400 to $1000.
Pest control products may vary from $10 to $300. Bug killing sprays may cost you $20 to $ 35 per bottle.
Bed bug bites should never be left untreated, because they may lead to more complications. At the same time, once presence of bed bugs is found, you must take immediate action for their total extermination through the services of professional bed bug exterminators.