Bed Bug Bites: Squashing Common Remedy Myths

No one likes having bug bites, and many feel that, because bed bugs seem so dirty and “gross,” bed bug bites must need special remedies in order to avoid disease. This is a common believe despite the fact that a bed bug’s ability to spread viruses and germs to humans has never been scientifically proven.  To help you separate fact from fiction, below are some of the common remedy myths you might encounter about treating bed bug bites.

Myth: Bed Bug Bites Can Only Be Treated with Prescription Medicine
There is one primary myth about remedying bed bug bites that prevails.  Many erroneously believe that you must get prescription antihistamines and corticosteroids from the doctor. And, while, in some cases, this might be necessary for those that have a very strong reaction to the bites or if someone has scratched so much that they infected the bites and need antibiotics, typically home remedies will work just fine to treat bed bug bites.

Indeed, many home remedies work just fine and have little or no associated cost. Here are some common home remedies to mitigate the impact of bed bug bites: 

• Water and soap: You can use either bar soap or antibacterial liquid soap, which minimizes bacteria that could infect the area.
• Calamine lotion: This dries out the bites and calms any irritation or itchiness.
• Oatmeal: This helps if the bites become itchy or irritating.
• Baking Soda and salt: This combination mixed together in equal measure with water can help soothe and promote healing of the bites.
• Ice: This helps reduce inflammation and removes the urge to scratch the bites.
• Alka-Seltzer: Because this has ingredients similar to the baking soda and salt remedy, it works in the same way. However, this remedy is not intended for anyone who is allergic to aspirin due to the other ingredients in this product.

And, as previously mentioned, it is a complete myth that you will get sick from these types of bites. The worst that can happen is an infection if the bites are not left alone or cleaned properly, or if you have an allergic reaction to the bites. In those instances it is advisable to seek medical attention. 

In Review
The key points in this blog post are:

• The main myths about bed bugs bite remedies is that you can get sick from the bites and that you will need to always seek professional remedies.
• The reality is that home remedies for bed bug bites, such as water and soap, oatmeal, calamine lotion, baking soda and salt, ice or Alka-Seltzer usually help stop the irritation and itchiness as well as promote healing.
• These remedies are cheaper and easily available versus having to rely on antihistamines, corticosteroids, and antibiotics.

About The Author

Jeremy Ecker has worked in the pest control industry for the past 17 years. The last 8 years was spent as a Vice President of one of the most well respected regional Pest Control Companies in New York. He is part of a NESDCA Certified Dog Team