Some real advice on how to find out if you have bed bugs and when to visit a walk in clinic for treatment

Bed bugs do not discriminate. It doesn’t matter what neighborhood you live in or how often you clean, everybody’s home is capable of becoming infested with bed bugs. This is especially true if you live in New York City.

Once you think you have them, it can be a battle to prove it. There is a lot of bad advice online on what to do if you think you have bed bugs and whether you should visit a walk in clinic for bed bug treatment. So here’s some solid advice based on experience, not word of mouth.

For starters, many sites recommend looking at the types of bites on your skin to determine what kind of insect you were bitten by. People reference the “breakfast, lunch and dinner” eating habits of bed bugs, which refers to their tendency to bite people multiple times in one straight line. For the most part, this is true.

Any primary care doctor can tell you, people’s reactions to insect bites vary, which makes it very difficult to determine what kind of bug you are dealing with. Some people can have large, bright red bites that last for weeks, while others may barely notice the marks on their skin that disappear in less than a day. Beg bug bites also resemble other skin conditions, such as hives. Because of this, most doctors cannot confidently confirm you have bed bugs just by looking at the marks on your skin.

Another fallacy you’ll read is that you can determine if you have bed bugs by examining your mattress. It is true that bed bugs shed their skin, but their cast-off skins are incredibly hard to spot.  Their other droppings are also hard to see. They also almost never come out during the day. Because it is so difficult to notice their presence DO NOT IMMEDIATELY TRUST AN EXTERMINATOR’S INSPECTION IF THEY FIND NO SIGNS OF BED BUGS. Just because you don’t see them, doesn’t mean they aren’t there.  

Unfortunately, the best way to convince an exterminator (and your landlord) that you have bed bugs is by catching them and storing them in a zip lock bag. This may mean staying awake and waiting for them to come out. Once you have a little sucker, compare it to photos online and then show your exterminator. If you are renting, your landlord is obliged by law to cover the extermination costs.

In the meantime, if your bites are driving you crazy because they are inflamed or are painfully itchy, you should visit a physician’s office. You doctor can prescribe strong medication that will decrease inflammation and ease the itchiness. Do not visit an internist if you are looking for a confirmation you have bed bugs, visit for skin treatment.

If you need bed bug treatment in Manhattan for your skin, visit this walk in clinic located at 274 Madison Ave, right by two major subway spots, Bryant Park and Grand Central. You’ll meet with a professional, certified physician who will seriously look over your skin and offer advice on what he thinks it might be before prescribing treatment medication. Log onto urgent care clinic NYC to make a same day appointment, or, just walk in!

Fighting bed bugs doesn’t have to be hard, but it helps to have good advice.