Bugs and bug bites send a shiver down the spine whenever we talk about them. These tiny creatures can make our lives terrible. Bugs are common, and it is not always possible to prevent them from entering your household. They multiply in large numbers as well. Be it because of the unhygienic living conditions or the weather, bugs find the tiniest possible reason to affect our lives.
Bug bites can be painful, itchy, and sometimes harmful for our health as well. Before we learn how to avoid bug bites and treat them when we are affected by them, we must find out which are the marks on our body that could possibly be bug bites.
Mosquitoes
Mosquito bites are often a soft, pale bump that makes the skin turn red and swell. Mosquito bites are often harmless; however, when a mosquito carries the germ of a disease, its bite can be deadly as well.
How To Treat It?
Treating a mosquito bite is quite an easy task. All you need to do is wash the affected area with soap and water. You may also use an ice pack to reduce the swelling of the skin. The application of the calamine lotion or oral consumption of antihistamine can soothe the skin well after a mosquito bite.
How To Avoid It?
Avoiding mosquitoes is not very easy. Always keep a check on your yard for pools of stagnant water as mosquitoes breed the most in stagnant water. Whenever you are out at dawn or dusk, be sure to cover yourself well or use a mosquito repellent cream on exposed skin.
Bees
When a bee bites, a sharp, stingy pain is felt and is followed by a small welt, often red in color. Unless you are allergic to bee stings or have been stung by bees many times, you will experience just pain. However, if that is not so, medical help might be required.
How To Treat It?
Remove the stinger as soon as you can with the help of tweezers, wash the area gently, and apply a cold compress. If you have symptoms of fainting, breathing problems, wheezing, etc., call an ambulance immediately.
How To Avoid It?
Bees love anything that tastes sweet. Avoid leaving half-opened cans of soda and glasses of fruit juices exposed. Dress up in light shades whenever you pass by bee-populated areas as bees are attracted towards bold and bright colors.
Ticks
When ticks bite, you may experience pain, swelling, itching, and redness. If a tick carrying Lyme disease bites you, you might even end up getting a round bull’s eye or an oblong rash.
How To Treat it?
Always check for ticks if you are in the outdoors and remove them as soon as you see them. You may use tweezers to grab a tick by the head or the mouth and pull it gently. If you spot a rash, it is advisable to visit a doctor.
How To Avoid It?
To avoid tick bites, wear long pants, shirts with long sleeves, and socks when you are out in the woods or in areas with tall grass. Remember to stick to the middle of the roads so that you avoid leafy debris and wear bug repellents on the skin.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs cause little red bumps, often in clustered form or in rows. They are mostly common on the face, neck, arms, and hands. Bedbugs are not harmful but they cause a lot of itching, which is utterly irritating.
How To Treat It?
To treat bedbug bites, it is advisable to use a hydrocortisone cream or consume and oral antihistamine to reduce itching. Also, call an exterminator for help with bedbugs.
How To Avoid It?
Always check for signs under the mattresses for bed bugs. If you spot any sign of them, change your bedding and take appropriate measures to avoid any bedbug infestation again.
Chiggers
Chigger bites are tiny red welts on ankles, back of the knees, below the belt, and in armpits. Chiggers do not transmit any disease in North America and are harmless.
How To Treat It?
To remove chiggers, always take a bath with soap and warm water, and use a washcloth gently to remove chiggers. The itch typically lasts for a couple of days and you can use calamine lotion to soothe the itching and irritation.
How To Avoid It?
Chiggers are known to be most effective during the afternoon. So, if you are hiking, remember to wear a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, and closed-toe shoes. You may use mosquito repellent creams to keep away chiggers effectively.
