Most people prefer not to share their home with pests, but somehow the little critters insist on invading into private territory anyway. Seeing a cockroach from time to time is normal, especially if you live near water or other areas where insects are prominent. However, if you start to see them a little too often, that’s cause for alarm. There are many health problems caused by cockroaches, and you don’t want them roaming around you or your family members.
With that said here’s a little more information that will help keep your household safe.
Why Are Cockroaches Bad?
One of the most obvious reasons why cockroaches are bad is because they are an eyesore, and they scatter around the walls and floors making everybody paranoid; basically, they’re a nuisance.
But even more so, the diseases cockroaches carry are worse. The pathogens that cause disease are at an all-time high when there is an infestation of cockroaches within the home because they are unclean insects.
Usually, they spend time in areas that are dirty and unsanitary, and when they roam around they carry all of that filth with them.
Cockroaches hunt for food in places like garbage disposals, dumpsters, sewers, and landfills. And unfortunately, as they scatter around your floors, walls, and countertops they can potentially spread serious illnesses.
Health Problems Caused by Cockroaches
Some of the most basic cockroach sickness symptoms are common triggers that you may think are from another source. With that said, here are some diseases cockroaches carry that you should be aware of.
Asthma Flare-Ups
One of the biggest health problems caused by cockroaches is asthma flare-ups. A cockroach can’t give you asthma but it can most certainly trigger the symptoms that you already have.
As cockroaches crawl around the house they leave things behind such as saliva, fecal droppings, and shed skin; which are all triggers. Not to mention, cockroach feces contain pheromones that can aggravate breathing problems or cause an asthma attack.
Allergies
If you suffer from allergies, cockroach droppings can aggravate those symptoms as well. The smell that their feces leaves behind causes a stuffy nose, dry eyes, and itchy throat.
Furthermore, those who don’t have allergies could still experience a sinus infection, wheezing, or coughing.
Ways That Cockroach Disease Is Spread
One of the primary ways to get infected by a cockroach is by eating or drinking anything that the roach has come into contact with. Whether they crawled on a bag of chips or a bottle of water, when you touch it you are prone to cockroach sickness symptoms.
Furthermore, if one of them crawls on silverware or cooking utensils, that also spreads the infection.
Breathing in Odors
If you already struggle with allergies or asthma, your respiratory system is extremely sensitive. Therefore, when you breathe in the cockroach feces, it further aggravates your existing issues because the pheromones that are inside of droppings give off a bad smell.
Skin Contact
Most people are accustomed to touching their face and other parts of their body. The problem is when you come into contact with a contaminated item, that causes problems.
Let’s say you touch a brush that a contaminated cockroach has crawled over and you rub your eyes or touch your mouth, which spreads the contamination. Furthermore, if you touch an open wound that you have that also causes those contaminated pathogens to enter your body and spread illness.
How to Prevent the Spread of Cockroach Contamination
The best way to shield against health problems caused by cockroaches is to have a strict cleaning regimen. You want to make sure that you are constantly disinfecting your kitchen, especially before cooking.
Make sure you wash all utensils before eating and wipe off cans and bottles that you drink from. You should also disinfect your bathroom and items that you touch regularly, like your remote and cell phone.
Wash Your Hands
Washing your hands will help you reduce the spread of cockroach disease. You want to make sure that before you eat or do a beauty regimen that you wash your hands. Also after touching items where cockroaches are prone to crawl, wash your hands.
For instance, if you grab something under the sink, make sure you cleanse yourself afterward. Plus, it’s a good idea not to touch your face; if you can prevent rubbing your eyes or wiping your nose, do so.
Pest Control
If cockroaches are a problem for you, get a professional in your home as soon as possible. The goal is to prevent cockroaches from coming into your home altogether, and a professional pest control service knows exactly where to treat the source of cockroach infestation and how to put pesticides in the correct places.
You don’t want to fight the battle by yourself because it’s overwhelming. Therefore, it’s best to let an expert come in and take care of the issues.
Keep the Bugs at Bay
Hopefully, this information about the health problems caused by cockroaches helps you to stay protected. You share the world with other humans, animals— and unfortunately—cockroaches!
It’s impossible to never come across one, but there are ways to shield them from coming into your home and wreaking havoc. With that said, if you’re in need of pest control services, we’re here to help. Our team of experts provides services such as mosquito control, bed bug control, and more.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us or reach out to get a free estimate!