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GETTING rid of bed bugs can be an unpleasant and tricky job which can often require the help of professionals.

But what can you do to tackle an infestation, how does it occur and how can you treat bites? Here's all you need to know...

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Bed bugs are small, blood-sucking insects that can be found in the joints of your mattress.

They crawl out at night and feed on human blood after biting through exposed skin.

Typically they are brown, dark yellow or red in colour, are flat and oval-shaped and are the size of an apple seed.

Although they arent dangerous, they can cause extreme discomfort and stress to those who are bitten by them.

They cant jump or fly, but can crawl long distances, so can quickly spread throughout a building.

Baby bed bugs - called nymphs - shed their skin five times before reaching adulthood and need a blood meal before each shedding.

Adults are about 5mm long.

Usually small, red bites on your skin will be one of the first indications that you have a bed bug problem in your house.

You can then spot further signs of small bugs, tiny white eggs in mattress crevices, or tiny black spots which could be their dried poo.

While you might not spot the creatures at first, an infestation will also see blood spots appearing on your sheets, as you squash the bugs in your sleep, and an unpleasant, musty scent in your bedroom.

Some people may also have a reaction to bedbugs in the form of itching and swelling.

The NHS also warns that a severe allergic reaction is possible, albeit rare.

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It can be extremely difficult to get rid of an infestation, so your best bet may be to get professional help.

Once in your home,bedbugscan quickly spread from room to room.

Wait too long before you identify the problem, and they could completely contaminate yourhome.

The NHS advises contacting your local council or a pest control firm that's a member of the British Pest Control Association or National Pest Technicians Association.

Heres what you should do to prevent an infestation:

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British Pest control expert Ranjen Gohri, from 24/7 Home Rescue, said thatgrowth in bed bug numbers can be down to the amount of people travelling between countries, as well as their growing resistance to chemicals.

Once in your home, bed bugs can spread from room to room on luggage, clothing and furniture so can quickly be a large problem.

He warned: Bed bugs are becoming more and more common in the UK, and were close to approaching epidemic levels.

We estimate there has been around a three-fold surge in bed bugs in recent years, based on information from our pest controllers. It is a particular problem in highly-populated areas where the bugs can spread easily.

Bed bug bites are painless and often clear up on their own, but some people can have a reaction to the red, itchy bumps on the skin.

In some cases people can experience a rash or fluid-filled blisters and they can get infected with bacteria if scratched.

You can put something cool, like a clean, damp cloth, on the affected area to help with the itching and any swelling.

Keep the infected area clean and prevent infection by not scratching the bite.

You should see your GP if you have any signs of skin infection such as swelling, redness and pain as you may need antibiotics.

The NHS also says you should see a GP if a redness around the bite is spreading.

If they are very itchy you can use antihistaminetablets to relieve the itch and apply a mildsteroid cream(such as hydrocortisone).

You should also clean your bedsheets.

Inspect your mattress andbedregularly for signs of an infestation.

Avoid buying second-hand mattresses and carefully inspect second-hand furniture before bringing it intoyour home.

Keep yourbedroom tidy and remove clutter.

Bedbugsaren't attracted to dirt, so they're not a sign of an unclean home, but clearing up any clutter will reduce the number ofplaces they can hide.

If you live in an apartment, you could be more prone to infestation, asbedbugscan move between flats.

See more here:
How to get rid of bed bugs and how to treat bites - The Sun