Bedbugs are pests that can hide in your mattress and come out at night to feed. They are very good at hiding, and it is difficult to exterminate them. A bedbug rash can be extremely painful. Treating the rash can usually be done with over-the-counter medications, but in the case of an infection or severe reaction you may need to see your doctor. It is also important to exterminate the bugs.
Instructions
1. Look for symptoms of bedbug bites. When bedbugs bite, they emit a chemical painkiller in their saliva so you can't feel them sucking your blood. You may not have any reaction until the chemical wears off about three days after the bite. After that, you may experience intense itching. Look for big red blotches on your skin. You may also get hives, according to the Mayo Clinic. Other symptoms to look for are blisters, white raised blotches and pus-filled sacs.
2. Apply cortisone cream or calamine lotion to relieve the itch. The cortisone cream can be rubbed all the way into the skin. Calamine lotion is a pink cream applied topically but not rubbed in. Try both alternately, as one may work better than the other.
3. Take an oral antihistamine to relieve the itching and prevent an allergic reaction. Oral antihistamines are available at the drugstore. They are effective but may also make you sleepy.
4. Soak in a tub of water and ground-up oatmeal to stop the itching. Grind two cups of oatmeal in a blender. Pour them into your warm bath water and soak for about five minutes.
5. Do not scratch your bites. The bites can open up and become infected from your fingernails. See a doctor if your bites appear to have pus in them and won't heal or if you have a severe allergic reaction.
6. Look for the bedbugs to confirm the reason for your rash. Bedbugs have a distinct sweet odor and leave brownish-red bloodstains on your sheets. They cast off their skin while feeding, so look for crumbly light brown carcasses on your sheets. You may also find their skins in walls, mattresses and furniture. Bedbugs should be killed as soon as possible, preferably by a professional exterminator. Wash all bedding and clothing. You might want to throw away your mattress if that is where the infestation occurred.
Tags: allergic reaction, cortisone cream, your bites, your mattress, your sheets
