Allergic reaction to bedbug bites

Insect allergy (from the word insect, which means insect), which includes allergy to bedbug bites, is nothing more than an increased reaction of the human immune system to foreign bodies. Today, however, it represents a real medical problem.

Weakened by poor ecology and a sedentary lifestyle, immunity, together with a genetic predisposition, can produce a powerful reaction even to those substances that do not pose a global threat to humans. These allergens include substances contained in the saliva of blood-sucking insects, in particular, bed bugs.

Allergy to bedbugs can manifest itself not only in reaction to the bites of these insects, but also to their metabolic products: excrement, as well as chitinous covers shed during molting. The photo below of an allergic reaction to bedbug bites eloquently shows how severe the problem can be:

On a note:

Even if it does not come to a severe allergic reaction, bedbug bites can still cause a very significant inconvenience to a person: constant itching, inability to sleep, and red blisters on the face and hands can lead not only to problems with general health, but also to unwanted issues, for example, from colleagues at work (in winter it is difficult to attribute red bite marks to mosquitoes). Fortunately, a special ointment has been developed after GEKTOR bug bites, which effectively helps to eliminate most of the unpleasant symptoms: itching, redness and swelling at the bite sites.

Additionally, the ointment has bactericidal properties and prevents infection of wounds even when they are combed.

 

Why does an allergy occur?

During a bite, bedbugs release highly allergenic anesthetic and anti-clotting substances into the wound. From this moment, a response to a bug bite begins in the human body, in particular, the damaged areas turn red and swell. In the photos below of an allergy to bedbug bites, such redness is clearly visible:

Moreover, the bitten places begin to itch, and this itching shows that the human immune system has actively taken up work. Faced with foreign bodies, the body intensively releases histamine, a special substance that triggers a complex process of immune response.

Histamine activates the work of leukocytes, which in turn contributes to the occurrence of inflammatory processes in the tissues, due to which the blood vessels expand and their permeability increases. This helps immune cells get to harmful organisms or substances faster and eliminate them.

Of course, the human body itself also suffers.Due to contractions of the bronchi and swelling of the nasal mucosa, harmful substances are excreted from the body through coughing or sneezing, but at the same time, contraction of the muscles of the bronchi can cause suffocation, and a sharp vasodilation can lead to a serious drop in blood pressure. That is why many anti-allergic drugs are called antihistamines, because they are aimed at suppressing the excessive production of histamine.

 

What is the danger of a bedbug bite for adults?

Among the various allergic reactions to a bug bite, local reactions and general ones can be distinguished. In the vast majority of cases, the effects of bedbug bites are limited to such local reactions as:

• itching;
• slight swelling;
• redness at the site of the bite.

And further: We catch bedbugs and put deadly experiments on them - this is a must see!

By and large, such manifestations of allergies can go away on their own after a while. You can remove them by applying a cold compress to the bite site or modern antipruritic ointments and balms (see photo):

One of the dangers of local allergic reactions is that the damaged areas are very itchy. If you comb them intensively, then pustules begin to appear on the skin, which open the gate for new infections.

In addition, bed bugs can sometimes cause general reactions of the body, especially if a person has already suffered from allergies in the past. Moreover, in order for a serious reaction to a bite or to the waste products of a bug to occur, a very small amount of the allergen is sometimes needed.

These generalized allergic reactions include:

• urticaria, which manifests itself in the appearance of itchy reddish blisters that resemble a nettle burn;
• runny nose and lacrimation, which can be confused with the onset of acute respiratory infections;
• bronchospasm, which can cause severe breathing problems if not treated immediately
• Quincke's edema, which mainly affects the areas of the face, but sometimes can also capture the larynx, and, accordingly, cause difficulty breathing;
• and even anaphylactic shock, when blood pressure drops sharply, choking occurs and immediate medical attention is required.

If the reaction is limited to a rash or runny nose, then you can try to cope with these manifestations of allergies on your own by using an antihistamine. If severe tissue swelling or shortness of breath occurs, the doctor may even prescribe corticosteroid-based drugs.

The photo below shows the waste products of bedbugs (excrement and chitinous skins after molting), which, if inhaled, can cause a serious allergic reaction:

Manifestations of a general allergy for pregnant women are dangerous, since at this time it is not recommended to take even modern antihistamines. In addition, the shortness of breath that occurs in the mother is fraught with a lack of oxygen in the unborn baby.

In this case, to treat an allergy to bedbug bites, you should definitely consult a doctor, especially if the woman has already had severe reactions to the bites of other insects.

Review

For as long as I can remember, I have always had some kind of allergy: to dust, to cat hair, to citrus fruits. And now, an allergy to bedbugs has been added to the list of my misfortunes. One day, having come to visit new acquaintances, I began not just to sneeze, my legs began to itch terribly and they began to swell before my eyes. It turned out that the sofa on which I was sitting was moved from my grandmother and was simply infested with bedbugs! Now, when I go to visit, first of all I ask if people have new furniture, no matter how rude it may seem to the owners.

Alena, Nikolaev

 

What are the consequences of a bedbug bite in children?

It is believed that when the immune system works normally, then allergic reactions are minimized. However, if it is weakened, broken, or not yet fully formed, as in children, then an allergy to bedbug bites can manifest itself very strongly.

In addition, the skin of babies is delicate and thin, and the blood circulation is intense, which makes bedbugs more likely to attack children in search of food.

Photo of a bedbug drinking blood:

Asking yourself the question: “Are bedbug bites dangerous for a child?”, - parents should be fully aware that a child's body can react to them several times stronger than an adult.

If for an adult man, even multiple bedbug bites are quite capable of going unnoticed, then on the skin of babies, even one bite will cause severe redness and itching, and possibly more serious consequences. The photo below shows different manifestations of allergy to bedbug bites in children:

Review

Traveled with a child to the country to friends. I don’t know where they brought their sofas from, but the night turned out to be the same! The child tossed and turned and groaned all night, and I myself thought that mosquitoes were biting me. When I looked at my daughter's leg in the morning - and there was a chain of red hefty spots right there. It turned out to be bed bug bites. She smeared it with Fenistil and did not allow the child to itch, so it seemed that after a couple of days everything went away by itself.

Tatiana, Kursk

 

First aid for allergies

If the bitten place turns red and even blisters appear, then you need to apply a cold compress to it. You can also lubricate it with Fenistil gel or Psilo-balm (especially if crusts have already appeared).

Antihistamine tablets for bedbug bites like Suprastin or Tavegil, or new-generation drugs with the active ingredient loratadine or cetirizine (Zirtek, Cetrin, Loratadin, etc.) will also help relieve itching and swelling. With caution, antihistamines should be given to young children under three years of age (there are special forms of drugs for them in the form of syrups and drops with the appropriate dosage).

Be sure to ensure that the child does not scratch the bite, distract him in many ways from the problem of itching.You can even cut your nails short to prevent infection from entering the wound.

A few more photos of bedbug bites:

Simple improvised means of relieving skin itching and redness (at home and "in the field") can be:

• a plantain leaf crushed and applied to the bite site;
• lotions with a tincture of a string (shredded leaves can be brewed in a thermos);
• treatment of affected areas with a solution of baking soda (a teaspoon in half a glass of water).

As a temporary option for scaring away bedbugs (for example, in a hotel or in a country house), you can try to pick and spread plants with a strong smell like wormwood, geranium, and tansy under the bed.

The best prevention of bed bug allergy is, of course, the complete destruction of them in the home. But what to do if the attack happened in nature, in the country, in a rented apartment on vacation?

The best way out is to quickly leave the place infected with bedbugs. No matter how sorry it is for a spoiled vacation, it must be understood that recurring local and general allergies can gradually cause malfunctions in the immune system and in the future become the cause of chronic allergic rhinitis or even asthma.

 

An interesting video about bed bugs and methods of dealing with them

 

Allergy to insect bites: what to do?