Mite bites can cause skin lumps and rashes and, occasionally, more serious reactions, Dr. Merchant says.
Among outdoor mites, the only type that frequently bites people is the chigger. The word “chigger” applies to a particular species of mite that bites during its larval stage of development, and their bite produces an intensely itchy red welt, Merchant explains. “There are not too many other mite problems outdoors,” he adds.
RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Chigger Bites
When it comes to indoor mites that bite or cause health issues, Merchant says most spring from animal nests. “Some mites will infest the nests of birds and rats and mice, and when they become abundant, they’ll leave that site and sometimes wander into the house and bite people,” he explains. In most cases, the bites of these mites cause an itchy skin rash, which may feature small lumps or pimples.
“The skin might be very itchy or red for a few days, but then that will taper off,” Merchant says of mite bites. Ice and anti-itch creams like hydrocortisone can help control the swelling and itching. But those symptoms should resolve within a week, he says. (Nearly all species of biting house mites cannot live on human beings, and so they don’t “infest people,” he adds.)
There is one outlier: scabies. These mites infest a person’s skin, in order to lay eggs and to feed, and are usually only passed by direct person-to-person contact. (4) Like other mites, scabies tend to cause an itchy, pimply red rash. But unlike other mites, those rashes will continue to appear unless the person gets medical treatment, usually a prescription-only skin cream or lotion designed to kill scabies.
Dust mites can cause allergies in some people, but these tend to be of the mild, seasonal allergy variety — stuff like a runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes. (5) Over-the-counter and prescription allergy meds can help quell dust mite allergies.
RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Allergies
Table of Contents
Ear mites are external parasites who live in the warmth of ear canals and thrive on organic matter present in it. Generally, ear mites choose animals as their hosts. And your pets are likely to be good hosts for ear mites. One of the different sources of getting infected is the transmission of mites from one animal to another by close contact. Doesn’t that make you wonder if mites can infest humans too if your cat has them?
The short answer is ‘yes’, ear mites can harbor on humans, but it’s rear. The most common cause of ear mites in humans is their pet cat with ear mites. That being said, you should check for any parasites in your pets regularly and get rid of them. Nevertheless, how should you deal with the condition if you catch some of those arachnids?
Signs of Ear Mites in Humans
You are at the risk of getting ear mites if you have pets or when you have close contact with someone else’s pets. So, the first step to staying safe from mites is to check your cats and dogs. The most common sign is your cat will constantly paw or scratch at ears. This happens because their presence makes your pet feel uncomfortable. In addition, you will also observe black dust-like particles looking similar to coffee grounds in their ears.
Diagnosing also helps to stop spreading mites in other pets too. Initially, your cat will not seem bothered but once mites grow in large numbers their weird behavior can easily be seen.
If you get ear mites the common signs are dark ear wax, ear wax discharge with a stench, redness in ears and the skin around ears, itching, and ear irritation.
Moreover, this condition is also accompanied by another ear condition called tinnitus. This effect is characterized by humming, buzzing, and ringing sounds in ears. If overlooked and not taken care of, the affected person can feel high pressure inside the ears and may also lose hearing power permanently.
Little Bit More About Ear Mites in Humans
Ear mites do not generally bite. And if at all they bite, they won’t remain on your body. If your pet sleeps with you in your bed, the ear mites would come out on the bed and enter your ears. When ear mites are on the furniture or on your bedding, they need a host to survive, so chances are high that they find their way in your ear canal even if the pet is not in your bed.
All in all, not only pet parents but all those who came in contact with the bed and furniture are vulnerable. That said, if you visit a house where pets have ear mites, you may catch some of them.
Treatment of Ear Mites in Humans
Here is what you can expect in a treatment part. Go to a doctor and consult him for the symptoms. He would likely refer you to an ENT specialist if he’s not one.
When you visit an ENT, he would take a sample from your ear using a cotton swab and will examine it using Otoscope. There might be some other tests also to identify the presence of ear mites and to diagnose other abnormalities and problems.
Once it is confirmed that you have ear mites, your doc will flush out your ear canals with saline solution to remove wax buildup in ears. Since mites thrive on the organic material, mites will be forced to leave the space.
After that, your doc will prescribe eardrops containing these medicines: gramicidin, triamcinolone acetonide, nystatin, and neomycin. These medicines are known for relieving ear irritation, itching, and infection.
Acetic acid also is effective to treat ear mites but never try any of home remedies without consulting with your doc. Moreover, by killing existing mites and their eggs can also ease up the problem. In that case, your doctor may prescribe you anti-parasitic eardrops.
Due to this condition, your ear canal might get inflamed and an overwhelming response to it may cause secondary ear infections. You will be prescribed a medicinal course of antibiotics to cure allergic symptoms and recurrence of it.
[highlight color=”yellow”]Also Read: Facing Ear Problems? Contact ENT Specialist For ENT Disorder Treatment[/highlight]
How To Prevent Ear Mites in Your Cats
Your pets can easily get ear mites. It’s common but not normal. The most important way to prevent ear mites in humans is to regularly check your pet’s ears and entire body for any kind of parasite.
When you groom your cat, check for any parasites on her body including her ear canal. If your cat has mites, she won’t initially show any signs but you can always observe tiny coffee grounds like creatures inside the ears. Further, your cat will show some more signs like shaking her head, pawing, and scratching at it. Sometimes you can see blood clotted outside the ears also.
Never ever ignore any signs, visit your vet, and treat ear mites with vet’s prescribed medication and treatment.
The EndNote
Cat ear mites can transmit to humans. Although it’s rare, you need to address the condition immediately. Some extreme cases also result in hearing loss too. To prevent ear mites, regularly check your pets for any parasites, and ask your vet for appropriate treatment. If your pets are safe, you won’t get ear mites from them.
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This page is an expert guide on getting rid of mites in your home using the products and methods suggested by our experienced pest control specialists. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee you will be successful in eliminating mite invasions.
If you are feeling itchy, it can be difficult to point out the cause of the itch, especially if they are tiny and hard to see--like mites. Mites are microscopic parasites that are widespread throughout the world and come in a variety of forms. While some species of mites are harmless to humans other species can target humans and are very irritating to deal with.
There are mites like bird mites and rodent mites that like to feast on the blood of poultry and mice, dust mites which infest furniture and cause allergies, and scabies which cause intense itching and irritation on humans, among other mites. No matter what mite you are dealing with, it is important to act quickly to eliminate or drastically reduce their presence.
Identification
Before you proceed with a treatment program, you need to make sure that the pest you are dealing with are mites. Misidentification can lead to using the wrong treatment methods which can be a waste of time and money.
- Mite is a catch-all term to describe tiny insect-like organisms that usually cannot be seen by the naked eye. They are parasitic insects that are closely related to ticks and some species like the bird mite and chiggers share similar tendencies of finding an animal host and sucking on its blood.
- Mites go through four phases of development: from egg, to larva, to egg and finally, and adult. During the larva stage they have six legs but then in the nymph and adult stage they have eight legs.
- Mites come in various forms and usually attack animals but dust mites can eat human flakes of our skin. Other mites like Mange, Demodex and scabies may also host on humans and can lay eggs on our skin and cause irritation and several other kinds of symptoms to arise.
- Other common mites are chiggers, ear mites and spider mites. Depending on the type of mite you are dealing with, a different method of extermination is required which may or may not include pesticides.
Inspection
Before you can treat mites, you will first need to investigate which mite is causing the problem since there are so many different kinds and unfortunately, most are practically invisible because of how small they are. Different mites have different habits so depending on signs around the homes or symptoms you or your pets are experiencing, you may be able to get a general idea of what mite is present.
Where To Look
Indoors, you should inspect your carpeting, furniture and bedding. Clover mites are known to invade homes and lawns. Dust mites are nearly always in homes and structures and will harbor furniture, pillows and mattresses, feeding on human dander and dead skin.
For other mites like itch mites and scabies, you should look on your own body and observe any symptoms like skin irritation, rashes and bite marks. If you're experiencing allergies around your furniture and sleep area, this could be a sign of dust mites.
What To Look For
Mites are microscopic so it will be hard to look for mites themselves but you can observe signs of possible mite activity by noting humidity inside your home since mites need moisture, checking your ventilation and observing if there is an accumulation of a lot of dust in the home.
Clover mites can often be smashed by us when they are crawling over carpet and can leave a red stain. Itch mites, cannot be seen or felt when they bite but will leave itchy red marks that resemble a skin rash, so observe if you've been having irritated skin often.
Treatment
For most mite infestations, applying pesticides is not necessary and the focus should be more on sanitation, heat treatment and vacuuming. However, we do recommend applying Flex 10-10 Insecticide around your home to kill any lingering mites after cleanup .
Step 1: Declutter, Dust and Vacuum
The most important thing you can do to reduce clutter and clean up in and around the home. Mites of all kinds can be found virtually anywhere so you should do your best to declutter and any unnecessary items you have in your home or storage.
After that, you should vacuum your home thoroughly and do so regularly. Vacuum the carpet, curtains and furniture. Use a powerful vacuum because dust mites, in particular, can burrow into furniture and cling to fabrics and you want to make sure they get sucked up. Make sure your home is dust-free as possible and use a damp cloth or rag to wipe down shelves, and other items that collect dust in the home.
Step 2: Heat Treatment and Washing
Steam cleaning or washing items in hot water is a sure-fire way to kill and eliminate mites of all types. Use a steam cleaner to heat treat your carpeting, furniture and bedding. Wash the bed spreads and your clothing and other such fabrics in hot water and dry clean them at a high temperature. If mites are on you, take a hot shower with some medicated shampoo. Do this regularly if you have been having mite issues and for general cleanliness because this will dramatically reduce or eliminate mites.
Step 3: Apply Flex 10-10
Flex 10-10 is permethrin and PBO based insecticide concentrate labeled to kill mites and can be safely used indoors on upholstered furniture and carpeting. First determine how much product you will need by measuring the square footage of the areas you want to treat. Flex 10-10 should be applied at 3.2 fl. oz. in a gallon of water to treat 1,000 sq. ft.
Once you have calculated the square footage, mix the appropriate amount of Flex 10-10 in a pump sprayer with water and shake the spray tank. Make sure to wear PPE before mixing and applying (gloves, long-sleeved clothing, protective eyewear etc.)
Apply to a small test area first to make sure chemical doesn't stain then apply an even coating of the Flex 10-10 to any suspected areas and surfaces indoors (furniture, mattresses, curtains, carpeting, shelves etc.) to kill lingering mites after you have done a thorough clean up.
You can also apply as a barrier treatment around your home to keep clover mites away. You should wait for the product to dry before re-entering the treated area.
Prevention
Once you have conducted a detailed cleanup and sprayed Flex 10-10 to eliminate mites, keep mites away with preventative measures:
- Seal cracks and crevices around your home to eliminate points of entry for chiggers and clover mites and take a shower after you have been outside for long periods of time.
- Making sanitation (like regular vacuuming, dusting, washing clothing and fabrics and regular showering) a priority will keep mites away.
- Spraying a monthly treatment of Flex 10-10 can also help with continued mite prevention.
Key Takeaways
What are Mites?
- Mites are parasitic insects that can infest homes and can irritate humans with allergies and itchy bites depending on the species.
- There are many different types of mites such as dust mites, clover mites, bird mites, chiggers and more.
- Microscopic mites exist on the bodies of all humans but they only become a problem when there is an abundance of them.
How To Get Rid of Mites
- Conduct a detailed inspection in your home and observe your own symptoms (irritated skin, allergies, etc.) to get an idea of what mite problem you have.
- You can eliminate mites infestations with routine vacuuming, washing, dusting and spraying Flex 10-10 in problem areas.
Preventing Mite Reinfestation
- You can present outbreaks of mites with routine cleaning of your home and body, sealing entry points around the home as much as possible and spraying followup treatments of Flex 10-10 at least once a month.