Can Bed Bugs Kill You?

If you have ever heard of bed bugs or even had them, you know that can wreak psychological warfare on the mind. I mean bugs eating your blood while you sleep or rest. That is a cause for disturbance. The question is, can they actually kill you? We asked our friends at Pest Control Thornhill Exterminator, who specialize in bed bug removal in Thornhill, to see if they can or not.

What Is A Bed Bug?

If you have not heard of what a bed bug is you may be wondering what they are and what they look like. Well, they are little oval brown bugs that greatly resemble some ticks. They do not eat animal’s blood though. They come out when you are resting and make little bites eating your blood.

Since They Are Taking Blood, Can They Give You A Disease?

As you know mosquitoes can transmit all kinds of viruses and diseases. Bed bugs are not known to do anything as the such. They are certainly annoying and uncomfortable but they do not pass on viruses or diseases. In fact, they do not really threaten your health in most cases.

What About The Bite?

You are probably asking yourself about the bites then. Well, when a bed bug bites you it does leave a track of bites. This is often the first sign of having them in your home. If you are awake you may feel a tiny discomfort. Most people sleep right through the bed bug feeding off of them.

Can The Bite Kill You?

As with any type of scratch, burn, wound or bite, it can get infected. Practice proper hygiene and there should not be an issue with the bites. It is very uncommon that someone gets an infection from a bed bug bite. That is not necessarily from the bed bug itself. It will likely be due to another germ getting inside of the bites.

You can find more information on how to properly clean any wounds that you may get at www.mayoclinic.org.

Can You Be Allergic To The Bites?

Some people are allergic to bed bug bites. This can cause swelling and other symptoms. It is not often that someone is allergic to them, but if they are they must take great care for the sake of their well being. Below are some signs of a very rare but possibly dangerous allergic reaction to bed bugs.

Signs Of An Allergic Reaction To Bed Bugs:

• Swelling near the bites.
• Swelling of the body where the bites occurred.
• A runny Nose.
• Swelling throat.
• Trouble Breathing.

You can find more detailed information about bed bug allergic reactions at www.pctonline.com. It is important to get medical attention if you suspect an allergic reaction. It can be fatal so, the sooner you get treatment the better the outcome may be for your health and well being.

How Can You Prevent A Bed Bug Bite?

There are some things that you can do to prevent a bed bug bite. It does not mean that you will eliminate the issue for good though. The best way to prevent a bed bug bite is to kill all the bed bugs in your home. Below are some steps you can take to prevent getting another bite from those pesky pests.

Some Steps To Take To Reduce Or Eliminate Bed Bug Bites:

• When you vacuum you are actually pulling the bed bugs from their hiding places and putting them into your vacuum cleaner. You can actually vacuum your mattress to remove bed bugs from there too. Remember to take care when emptying your vacuum though.
• Mattress Encasements. – Did you know that you can purchase a mattress encasement at your local retailer for a reasonable price? This keeps your home from being infested. Make sure you buy an encasement that is not breathable though. If you buy cloth they can still bite you through the encasement. Vinyl seems to be the best route.
• You can expect to be doing a lot of this. Wash your clothes and bedding in hot water. Then run through the dryer for at least 30 minutes. The bed bugs will die. You don’t need to do the washing, for the most part, it just adds in another preventive measure. Plus your bedding smells better rather than just drying it.
• Use Bed Bug Interceptors. – These make it to where the bed bugs can no longer climb up into your bed. Do make sure your bed and bedding are away from the wall. Make sure that your bedding does not hang down either. This keeps them out of your bed.

You can find more information about bed bugs at www.epa.gov.

Before You Go!

Everyone knows that bed bugs are super annoying and it will take time to completely remove them from your home. With the steps listed above, you can be free from bed bugs once more. Check out this youtube video for more information.