Chicken Pox or Bed Bug Bites? - How to Tell the Difference
There are people who aren’t completely aware of how bed bug bites look that they often mistake it with chicken pox. Others may even mistake it with skin rashes, or insect bites such as spider bites or mosquito bites. Once a person notices red patches or small itchy bumps, they’ll start asking themselves whether they have chickenpox or bed bug bites, especially if they haven't gotten a vaccination for chicken pox or if they experienced dealing with bed bugs.
Learning how to tell if you have bed bug bites or chicken pox can be done by knowing the symptoms associated with both. Identifying the symptoms will help you to determine the right action plan, preventative measures, and treatment for whichever is causing the red patches on your body.
Comparison Chart for Chicken Pox and Bed Bug Bites
For some information about the causes of each problem, chicken pox is a condition caused by a viral infection while bed bug bites are caused by insects that you’ve probably contracted and brought to your home from infested places. With chicken pox, you’ll notice that the red bumps or patches will spread across your body once you catch the virus. On the other hand, bed bug bites will appear days after the insects have bitten you and you may get worse reaction to bed bug bites if you’re sensitive to bed bug saliva.
Below is a chart with more information about chickenpox compared to bed bug bites:
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|
Bed Bug Bites |
Chicken Pox |
|
Quantity of Markings |
Most of the time, you’ll see the markings in groups or clusters of three. If you woke up with the bites, they won’t multiply throughout the day. |
If you notice markings, the patches will spread to all parts of your body quickly. The fast spread of patches only means that you got the virus and other symptoms may develop over time. |
|
Type of Markings |
Bed bug bites will appear as simple red patches or bumps. Those allergic to bed bug bites may develop blisters or uncontrollable itching. The bites may start to disappear on their own within days. |
With chicken pox comes irritated and fluid-filled blisters. Once the rashes appear, they will go through raised red or pink bumps, to small fluid-filled blisters, then turn to scabs and crusts before it heals. |
|
Associated Symptoms |
You may not experience other symptoms when you have bitten by bed bugs unless you are sensitive to their bites. |
- Fever - Headache - Loss of appetite - Malaise or fatigue |
Knowing how to differentiate chicken pox vs bed bug bites will help you to think of actions that you need to take.
With chicken pox, it is necessary that you contact and consult your doctor immediately. This is to get the proper medication and educate you on how to prevent possible complications and avoid infecting others in your home.
If you have bed bug bites, you can get over-the-counter medications to relieve the itching and hasten the healing process. It is also necessary that you solve the root cause of the bites, which are the bed bugs. You can use various high-quality products to monitor, detect, and protect yourself from bed bugs and call a professional to deal with the pests properly.
