What exactly is an 'itch' and why does scratching it make it feel better?

Bed bugs gone, itch more intense, help?!?

• I'll make this as short as i can, please someone give me any advice that you can. Me and my 2 year old were bitten by bed bugs over the course of 4 months, we both had a bite rash and an itch, the bugs have been totally gone for 8 weeks now. My sons bites cleared up quickly with help of creams but i never bothered using them and i still have the old bites now. Our itch got to the point it was only minimal. About a week or 2 later the itch started again, getting worse and worse week by week, it's now unbearable we are both scratching all night and all day, we have scabs and cuts from clawing so much. I don't have a new rash or new bites, but i'm scratching the old bite marks and even my whole body that doesn't have anything on it. My son has been scratching and has now come out with a new rash, it doesn't look anything like any type of bite, it just looks like a rash from scratching. I have tried hydrocortisone creams, e45 cream, e45 itch relief, calamine lotion, anthisan which is an antihistamine cream, a cream which has an antifungal and a steriod, 50/50 of liquid and soft paraffin which is the strongest of it's type on the market and i've tried benadryl antihistamine tablets. I went to the doctor who prescribed a different steroid cream and a stronger antihistamine but of course they haven't worked. I have had my house totally fumigated twice to make sure the bugs are gone, i thoroughly check my house and clean it every day to make sure there is no new bugs. I have no idea what to do as i've tried every cream and medication that would help with an allergy and itch but nothing is working. I have no idea if it's even related to the bed bugs at all because the itch is worse than what it was when we were being bitten. I will go and see the doctor again tomorrow but any info or advice in the meantime?

• Answer:

  Considering that bed bugs can live just about anywhere on you or in your home, the odds are that they've returned for one more go around. I'm not sure about how your methods went about getting rid of them, along with the fumigation you should have had both you and your son washed thoroughly with anti-lice shampoos and any pets you have washed also.. Don't forget about clothing too, you should also have every single article of clothing and piece of apparel you put on cleaned or thrown out, including shoes sunglasses hats, everything. I assume you're having a difficult ordeal with the itch, so I do have a way to comfort this issue.. I wrote an article recently relating to how to deter bugs from biting you perpetually, here's the link, read it carefully and I hope your situation resolves without having to fumigate again. http://gomestic.com/cooking/bug-bite-immunity/