Bed bug bites are extremely unpleasant and in some cases, itchy and irritating. They also cause rashes. The worst thing about bed bugs is the fact that they aren’t easy to spot. If you have bed bugs at home and have recently had brought a bite on your body, then there is bad news for you. Not only will those symptoms just be the starting of your problems, but the more you scratch them, the worse they will get. Before that happens, though, we suggest finding a way to stop that itchiness and reduce the swelling. Luckily this process isn’t hard or expensive. All you need to do is start by following our guidelines step-by-step. Whether you’ve seen one bed bug or you’re helping a friend get rid of his/her bed bug issue, the following home remedies are guaranteed to help you. Bed bugs can be a huge problem, especially in rental apartments. You probably have a few bites and some people don’t give them credit, but they really hurt. At first they itch like crazy and then after a few weeks they stop itching but take months to go away. These home remedies will help get rid of your bites through both pain relief and anti-itching properties.

Antibiotics For Bed Bug Bites

Antibiotics are being prescribed to treat bed bug bites. While your doctor may have said this is a good treatment, there is little scientific study on this use of antibiotics and noproof that it works.

Antibiotics are FDA-approved treatments for bacterial infections, and they’re supposed to be prescribed by doctors. They have also been used to treat bed bug bites despite the fact that bacterial infections are not a common complication of bed bug bites, and there’s no scientific evidence to support this use. Instead, it can be harmful to you because it causes antibiotic resistance—when bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is when antibiotics do not work as well against bacteria that cause infections.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends against treating bed bug bites with antibiotics due to the risk of developing antibiotic resistance.

Should I Treat Bed Bug Bites With Antibiotics?

Whether or not you have to treat them with antibiotics is another story. However, the recommendation of many doctors and health experts is that antibiotics are not an effective treatment for bed bug bites. In fact, the only reason you should take antibiotics for bed bug bites is if your doctor prescribed them—which they might do if they believe you’re at risk of developing an infection.

While bed bugs feed on human blood and can leave behind itchy red welts, in most cases a bite from these parasitic insects won’t lead to complications like an infection. The main concern with bed bug bites is that some people experience allergic reactions to the saliva that gets injected into their skin during feeding (a process called salivation).

The only reason you should consider treating bed bug bites with antibiotics is because your doctor prescribed them. There has been no drug-approved treatment for bed bug bites, and there has been no scientific study showing that antibiotics work as a treatment for bed bug bites.

The only reason you should consider treating bed bug bites with antibiotics is because your doctor prescribed them. There has been no drug-approved treatment for bed bug bites, and there has been no scientific study showing that antibiotics work as a treatment for bed bug bites.

If you have a serious infection due to scratching the bites, then antibiotics can be used to treat that infection only.

You should not treat bed bug bites with antibiotics unless your doctor prescribes them for you.

Can I Treat Bed Bug Bites With Over-the-Counter Medications?

To relieve itching and inflammation, ask your doctor to prescribe a topical steroid or an oral antihistamine. You can also purchase various over-the-counter creams and ointments to help alleviate the itchiness of bug bites.

If you have an allergy to bed bugs, your body will release chemicals that can cause additional symptoms, including swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, hives or breathing difficulties. If you have these symptoms, seek immediate medical care.

One of the best ways to treat bedbug bites is by using over-the-counter medications. According to WebMD, if you suffer from redness or swelling, you can use a topical steroid like hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion. If you suffer from itching, take an oral antihistamine such as Benadryl or Claritin. These products will help you manage symptoms while your body works on healing the bite itself.

• As a general rule, using over-the-counter medications can be a great way to treat bedbug bites. According to WebMD, if you have a rash or swelling, you should use topical steroids like hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion. If your bites are itchy, taking an oral antihistamine such as Benadryl or Claritin can help. These medications may help relieve symptoms while your body heals the bite itself.
• However, not all over-the-counter medications will be effective for treating bedbug bites. For example, analgesics like ibuprofen and acetaminophen may not help reduce the pain of bites because they don’t contain anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, decongestants like pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine aren’t effective in reducing pain from bedbug bites because they don’t reduce inflammation either (WebMD).

Now that we know some basic steps to follow when dealing with bed bug bites at home let’s look at when you might need additional medical attention.

How Long Does It Take For Bed Bug Bites To Heal?

You may not need to seek medical attention for bed bug bites, as most bites will heal on their own. Some people notice that the bite marks remain for several weeks or even months after being bitten, though the exact amount of time depends on the person and how their body reacts to the bites.

Although it’s unlikely that you’ll need antibiotics for a bed bug bite, you may want to see a doctor if a bite doesn’t start healing in a few days or if your symptoms get worse over time. If you have redness, swelling or pain at one or more of the bite spots that does not go away within three days, it’s also important to see a doctor. In this case, an infection may have occurred and treatment with antibiotics will be needed.

In rare cases, an allergic reaction can occur at the site of a bed bug bite. If you notice severe swelling at one or more spots where you were bitten by bed bugs, seek medical attention right away to avoid further complications and breathing difficulties. A rash and fever are also signs of an allergic reaction that should be treated by a physician immediately and possibly with antibiotics as well.