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What are bedbugs? — Bedbugs are small bugs that do not fly (picture 1). They are found all over the world. Bedbugs can live in hotels, houses, and other places where people rest and sleep. They can live in your mattress, your clothes, the walls, and other parts of your home. Most often, they bite you while you are sleeping or resting.
If you have bedbugs in your home, you might not be able to see them. They are very small and hide during the day.
Bedbugs do not spread diseases in people.
What do bedbug bites look like? — Bedbug bites are small, swollen areas of the skin that are often (picture 2):
●In a row or a line
●On parts of the body not usually covered by clothes, such as the face, neck, arms, and hands
●Very itchy
●Pink, brown, or red
Most people don't feel it when they get bitten. They might notice the bites in the morning or after a day or 2. Bedbug bites can take 3 to 6 weeks to heal. They can get infected if you scratch them a lot.
Is there a test to tell if I have bedbug bites? — No. There is no test. But your doctor or nurse might suspect that your bites are from bedbugs when they look at your skin. Other types of bugs and some diseases can also cause bumps on the skin that look like bedbug bites.
The only way to know for sure if you have bedbugs in your home is to find one. Your pest control service, doctor, or nurse can then inspect it. They can tell if it is a bedbug or another type of bug.
Is there anything I can do on my own to help my bites feel better? — Yes. To help your bites feel better and heal faster, you can:
●Keep the skin clean and dry
●Try not to scratch the bites
●Use an anti-itch lotion or cream to help with the itching
Should I see a doctor or nurse? — See your doctor or nurse right away if the bites:
●Get more swollen and painful
●Start having pus come out of them
If any of these things happen, your bites might be infected. Your doctor or nurse might prescribe medicine for the infection.
When you first find out you have bedbugs in your home, you might feel very worried or upset. If you feel this way, talk to your doctor about what you can do.
What should I do about the bedbugs in my home? — You will need to get rid of the bedbugs in your home so you do not get any more bites.
It is hard to get rid of bedbugs by yourself. You or your landlord should call a pest control service. The workers might use a chemical in your home to get rid of the bedbugs. You should not try to use any chemicals yourself. Another way that pest control services can get rid of bedbugs is a special type of heat treatment. This raises the temperature in your home, which kills the bedbugs.
Some things you can do to help are:
●Vacuum your home
●Wash your clothes and bedding, and dry them in a dryer that is on the hottest setting
●Clean up your home
If you want to get rid of some of your clothes or things, do not give them to other people. The bedbugs could still be in them. You do not want to spread bedbugs to other people.
Can bedbug bites be prevented? — The only way to prevent bites is by getting rid of the bedbugs. Also, do not sleep or stay over in a place that you know has bedbugs.
