Cockroaches: A Major Health Crisis

Most people scream or look in disgust when they see a cockroach anywhere. These reactions are associated with the fact that cockroaches are known to cause or have a role in different health problems. While it seems as though cockroaches are a result of a lack of cleanliness in a home, cockroaches actually search out for what they consider to be cozy homes. In fact, cockroaches enjoy your home for many of the same reasons you do, because it is warm, has food, and water. Although we share a common interest with cockroaches, they are the cause of many underlying health issues before we can even see them.

Pest control employees have done research to prove that health problems caused by cockroaches start with allergens that they produce. In fact, many of the allergies and allergic reactions that people deal with start with a cockroach's saliva, shed exoskeleton, and droppings they produce. The protein in these things react different to each person but all cause our allergies to worsen. Anyone who spends a large amount of their time indoors is extremely susceptible to health problems caused by these insects. Pest control says that the groups of people most likely to face problems from cockroaches are:

• The elderly
• Frail or disabled adults
• Children or babies

Along with other problems in a household, such as dust, the protein released by cockroaches actually can cause asthma and different breathing conditions to worsen. It can also lead to a continuous stuffy or a runny nose and produce long-term problems like:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Wheezing
• Chest tightness
• Trouble breathing

While we do know from pest control experts that cockroaches can cause asthma to worsen, the National Center for Health and Housing says that cockroaches can also cause other potentially dangerous and deadly asthma-related problems like:

• Bronchospasm
• Eosinophilic airway inflammation
• Increased bronchial hyperactivity

Not only do cockroaches themselves cause health problems, but they also are a carrier of multiple diseases and bacteria. Since they crawl everywhere in your home, they spread these microorganisms all over the place, leaving you and everyone in your home at risk of developing a deadly sickness. Cockroaches are known to infest dark, moist, and warm areas within a home so it is important for pest control to regularly spray areas that include:

• Basements
• Closets
• Crawl spaces
• Ductwork
• Bathrooms
• Under sinks
• Where a warm heater or furnace may be located

These areas are not searched and inspected as much as areas you directly live in and visit more often, but are typically where they will be found. If you do not find any live cockroaches, look for things like insect legs, small, dusty droppings, or possibly a dead cockroach. If you find anything, contact your local pest control experts so that you can get to the root of your cockroach problem and improve your allergy problems.