A bed bug bite looks like a small welt, and it burns and/or itches, according to the Adam Health Center. Red bumps that sting and/or itch like crazy, would be how bed bug bite victims describe it. You can't feel a bed bug bite while it happens (they take about five minutes to feed), and the bugs are nocturnal. So, then, they can feed peacefully while you sleep. Isn't Mother Nature just such a smartie? When bedbugs bite you, they inject a chemical that acts as an anesthesia on the area of the bedbug's bites. Chances are you won't feel a thing while the bedbugs are feasting on your blood. This explains why you can have multiple, even hundreds of bedbug bites and not wake up.
People vary in sensitivity to this chemical injected while a bedbug bites. The amount you suffer from bedbug bites is unique, depending on your body's reaction to them. Some people are very allergic to the chemical, and break out in a rash. The rash (and possibly raised welts that might appear in each spot you received bedbug bites) may last as long as a few weeks before completely clearing up. If you are lucky, you'll only get the raised, itchy welts that disappear in a few days.
It's important not to scratch the bites. Scratching bedbug bites can expose your skin to infection, which can in turn lead to complications like scarring. Treat the bedbug bites with a topical itch relief cream or oral antihistamine to relieve the itching. See a doctor for something prescription-strength if you are having a lot of difficulty.
Bed bugs bite exposed skin and leave behind small, red, itchy welts. But bed bugs are not generally thought to transmit any diseases. The damage is more emotional than physical. The CDC does say that bites from bed bugs can be treated with topical emollients or corticosteroids. You can also take an oral antihistamine. If you are exposed, you may consider treating your home as well.
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