Ever since the early days of human civilization when people still lived in caves bed bugs have been invading human habitats to feed on our blood as we sleep. As early civilizations began moving out of caves and forming communities, bed bugs quickly followed.
Historically bed bugs were not considered a major threat to our health and thus no serious efforts were made to eradicate them until the mid 1900’s. During this time they were nearly eradicated from North America using deet and other powerful insecticides. Unfortunately due to increased world travel and other factors, bed bugs have made a significant comeback in the last 2 decades infesting homes all across North America once again.
Most people’s immediate reaction to finding bed bugs in their home is to panic. Considering that they do not pose any significant physical threat to humans this is the worst thing you can do. In this article we explain the dangers that bed bugs pose on humans in an effort to help people remain calm until the issue is resolved.
Physical health concerns associated with bed bug bites
What seems to be one of the biggest concerns with bed bugs is whether or not they can transmit disease through their bites. This is a valid concern considering that other blood sucking insects do have the ability to transmit disease and cause other serious health implications when biting their victim. Rest assured though that when it comes to bed bugs there is no scientific evidence that they can spread disease through their bites.
The only physical health issue that occurs when bed bugs bite is a reaction on the skin. This can vary significantly between different victims from having no reaction at all to the bites, to having tiny red bumps on the skin that are irritating and in extreme cases, having an allergic reaction to the bites that may require medical attention.
What is the main health concern when dealing with a bed bug infestation?
Evidence has shown that the biggest concern with bed bug infestation victims is the psychological damage that having a bed bug infestation can have. Several studies have been conducted on the psychological damage that bed bugs can have on their hosts, creating problems such as:
- Anxiety;
- Stress;
- Depression, and;
- Sleep deprivation.
One of the main reasons that these problems arise is because bed bug hosts know that they will be bitten when they go to sleep and there is nothing they can do about it. There is also a social stigma associated with having a bed bug infestation resulting in victims not being able to carry on relationships with their friends and family until they have resolved the bed bug infestation.
These are just some of the reasons that a bed bug infestation may have a negative psychological impact on their hosts.
What should I do if bed bugs infest my home?
The best advice that we can offer for anyone that finds a bed bug infestation in their home is to remain calm. Upon finding a bed bug infestation you should immediately call a bed bug exterminator so that they can examine your home and come up with a plan of action to eradicate them from your home and keep them out.
It may take a few days for execution of a bed bug extermination plan so during this time just keep in mind that bed bugs do not pose any serious physical harm to humans. So as long as you can stay calm until the extermination is complete, there should be nothing to worry about.
