Florida/September 13, 2010– Physicians Immediate Care, one of the region’s premier providers of ambulatory and urgent health care, says Treasure Coast residents should be prepared for possible bed bug invasion.
The upcoming tourist season could bring unwanted guests.
Bed bugs are usually unknowingly transported on luggage, clothing, or other belongings that are carried by individuals as they travel.
“Current outbreaks have been traced to increased domestic and international tourism,” said Kenneth Palestrant, M.D., Physicians Immediate Care. Infestations also occur inadvertently by bringing infested furniture, mattresses, or used clothing into your household. “Bed bugs are very flat, allowing them to hide in tiny crevices. A crack wide enough to fit the edge of a credit card can hide thousands of bed bugs,” noted Dr. Palestrant.
The most common place to find bed bugs is the bed. Bed bugs often hide within seams, tufts, and crevices of the mattress, box spring, bed frame and headboard. They may also hide among items stored under beds, in nightstands, dressers, upholstered chairs and sofas. Other common places to find bed bugs include along and under the edge of wall-to-wall carpeting (especially behind beds and furniture).
Because there have been so many outbreaks of bed bugs nationwide, Dr. Palestrant says residents should be aware of the symptoms of bed bug bites. “Skin lesions produced by bed bugs resemble those caused by many other kinds of blood feeding insects, such as mosquitoes and fleas. Often, the bites follow a distinctive pattern that can help you know if your home and family have become infested with the tiny bloodsuckers.”
These patterns of bites are caused when a bed bug is disturbed during their nighttime feeding by a person moving, and then the bed bug resumes feeding. Bed bug bites also often occur in lines marking the paths of blood vessels running close to the surface of the skin. The peak feeding time for bed bugs is about an hour before sunrise.
“If you have questions about whether you are experiencing a bedbug outbreak or simply have been bitten by fleas or mosquitoes, you should seek the advice of a physician for proper diagnosis to make sure the infestation does not spread,” concluded Dr. Palestrant.
Dr. Palestrant added that some people may have a severe reaction to the bites with inflamed skin and major irritation. Should you have a severe reaction to bed bug bites treatment may include antihistamines or steroid based medications. You should always consult a physician about treatment.
Physicians Immediate Care measures its success through patient satisfaction and extraordinary care.
Physicians Immediate Care also offers employers professional services for workers compensation, routine exams, and drug testing. Physicians Immediate Care provides a convenient, cost effective alternative to emergency rooms and doctor’s offices from offices at 1900 SE Port Saint Lucie Boulevard, 4007 SW Port Saint Lucie Boulevard in the Paar Center, 550 South US Highway One, Ft. Pierce, and now open in Saint Lucie West at 1730 SW St. Lucie West Boulevard.
Physicians Immediate Care provides prompt
medical attention, with no appointment
necessary, Monday through Friday 08:00 a.m.
until 8:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 08:00
a.m. until 5:00 p.m. For additional information
call (772) 343-1774, or visit their website at
www.immedcare.com
