Do bed bug bites itch? For some this might sound like a mad question - of course bed bug bites itch! Nevertheless there are exceptions.

Bed bugs as you are most probably aware are horrible little pests who live by feeding on blood. Just about any warm blooded mammal will do but human beings are usually first in line these days.

Our vampire buddies prefer to strike at night - typically in the hour or so before the sun comes up however they will come out in the daytime if they are hungry and food becomes available. They are capable of detecting the person who will provide their next meal from the Carbon dioxide they breath out and the warmth from their body.

You will usually find that bites will appear on areas of the body which have not been covered such as the face, neck, arms and neck.

Bed bugs are surprisingly clever they ensure that they can enjoy a good meal without being detected. They do this by injecting an anesthetic to slightly numb the spot and an anticoagulant to make your blood flow more readily both of these substances are present in the bed bugs saliva.

It is the allergic reaction caused by the saliva which prompts the rash and itchy bed bug bites to appear. The rash may take a number of days to appear and might look like small red pimples or bumps or perhaps welts on the body. Itching from the bites can be annoying and may continue for a several hours or a several days.

As I said at the beginning of this article bed bug bites don't always itch mainly because there are many individuals who do not suffer any reaction at all.

Due to the appearance and the symptoms produced by the bites it is in many cases extremely difficult for a doctor to accurately diagnose them as being from bed bugs! Other insect bites such as fleas bites and mosquito bites can look very similar.

Skin conditions also like eczema and psoriasis and even scabies can produce similar symptoms. The only way to be sure is to physically hunt down the bugs in your home and have them correctly identified.

Having said all that, there is no actual treatment for bed bug bites. Oral antihistamines or cortisone creams will ease the itch. Scratching may lead to bacterial skin infection and should be avoided. There only one proper way to stop horrid bed bug bites that itch like crazy - ELIMINATE THE BED BUGS!!!!