Don't Let The Bed Bugs Bite

"Good night, sleep tight; don't let the bed bugs bite". If you have bed bugs in your home, this simple sentiment seems much more like a faraway dream.

Bed bugs have a history that's hundreds of years old. As far back as medieval times and classical Greek history, there are documents of these creatures.

Sleeping on a bed that's infested with bed bugs is no fun, but the real discomfort happens when you wake up. Your bed bug bites can be red, swollen and itchy, but you can take a little comfort in knowing that the insects will not transmit diseases. Your greatest amount of grief will likely come from the shameful stigma associated with having bed bugs in your home. It's also been suggested that bed bug infestations can be detrimental to relationships and may cause psychological strain.

Of course, bed bugs can cause both mental and physical anguish. The real mystery, however, lies in the best way to deal with the bugs and treat their bites.

Bed Bug Bites

Bed bug bites first appear as welts, similar to mosquito bites. Eventually, they become red marks. These marks can last up to five days and may appear in an orderly pattern, unlike the random appearance of mosquito bites.

Particular Characteristics of Bed Bug Bites:

* Bites appear in an orderly pattern

* Irritation, inflammation and destruction of the localized tissue

* Immediate or delayed allergic reactions

Bed bugs bites cannot transmit harmful diseases, and their medical significance is limited to the basic itching and inflammation. Immediate treatment for the affected areas should involve a thorough washing with soap and water. Scratching is strongly discouraged, as this can lead to an infection that may require more advanced medical aid. Another recommendation is to treat the affected area with ice or an herbal remedy to help speed the healing process.

Herbal Remedies

You can use herbal remedies as a successful treatment of pain and itching, and to control infection. Herbal applications can also help to improve the symptoms, correct imbalances, increase your energy and boost the immune system. Keeping your body strong is, of course, important in promoting better overall health and quality of life.

Some Chinese herbs can be helpful when used in conjunction with other herbal remedies. It all depends on the status of the bed bug bite. Treatments that incorporate an optimized herbal mixture are highly effective in addressing symptoms and treating illnesses.

The following herbs may be used as a treatment for bed bug bites:

Plantain: This is also known as the band-aid plant, pig's ear and ribwort. It's an herb commonly found growing wild in parks, playgrounds and even driveways. The characteristic that distinguishes this herb from others is the series of five parallel veins that run on each leaf. A narrow leaf plantain has long, thin leaves and a small flower head that looks similar to flying saucer, while a broad leaf plantain can has a tall seed head and long thin leaves. There are a number of plants in this family with leaves and seeds that may be eaten as food, or used for medicinal treatments.

Everyday Mud: One of the easiest and oldest poultices known to man is plain old mud. Powered white clay, mixed with herbal tea, can soothe bed bug bites. You can easily store this type of clay for a prolonged period of time with little chance of fungal spores. If your bites are painful or severely itchy, they can also be treated with a bland, starchy substance. Use grated potato, arrowroot powder, mallow root or finely ground grains such as oatmeal and rice to soothe bed bug bites.

Fresh Herb Poultice: These are slightly more complicated to prepare than other herbal treatments. The fresh herbs should first be chewed, and then applied directly to the bed bug bite. For maximum effect, the poultice can be covered by an adhesive bandage or large leaf to keep it in place.

Popular choices for fresh herb poultices include:

* Chickweed (Stellaria media)

* Comfrey - Symphytum uplandica x

* Wild Geranium, or Geranium maculatum

* Wild mallow - Malva neglecta

* Yellow dock (Rumex species)

Herbal Leaves: The best herbal leaves to treat bed bug bites are those that come from willow, maple, oak or hazel trees. Be sure that you are able to positively identify these leaves before you chew them. The most recognizable and safest are maple and oak leaves. If a leaf has a slick or shiny appearance, it should be avoided. If you're not sure of the source, don't use the leaf as a treatment. Any leaves that taste bitter should be spit out immediately.

If the bed bugs do bite, you can still have a good night. Try these remedies to help take the pain and itch out of the bite.