Many of us remember hearing our parents coo “sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite” on a nightly basis until we reached an age where it was no longer adorable to do so. Most of us laughed it off as a silly tradition, never imagining that we’d ever actually have to take preventative measures to ensure the bed bugs didn’t bite. However, with recent outbreaks in large cities such as New York City, bed bugs have become an unfortunate reality that is much less adorable than the childhood saying.
Bed bugs, small wingless insects that feed primarily and human blood and thus flock to locations with a high population, are definitely an annoyance but are not a severe health risk. Once bed bugs are spotted and identified as such, they can be treated with deep cleaning of the infested area (scrubbing and vacuuming, depending on the infected surfaces). Bed bugs can also be prevented by keeping areas clean in the first place and making sure all holes into the area are caulked or covered. If you suspect you have bed bugs and the idea of searching for them and eliminating them makes you queasy, you may want to contact a pest control specialist.
Bed bug bites can be treated with topical anti-itch creams or with antihistamines in cases where the itching is extreme or an allergic reaction occurs. For severe reactions, you should consult with a doctor for treatment. While bed bugs and bites are certainly not fun to deal with, they do not cause any long-term health or property damage, so you should still be able to sleep tight even with the knowledge that bed bugs possibly might bite.
