Bite First Aid
The degree to which individuals fear snakes and spiders amazes
this author. Because of that, topics on spiders and snakes
are amongst the most searched out on the Internet. At least
weekly, some educational channel is doing some documentary
on spiders and snakes and they usually get high ratings. We
have a very strong interest in the creepy crawlies that make
the hair on our neck stand up and generate numerous myths
all spiders in the United States are poisonous and that is
how they attack their prey and feed. Native Americans had
the highest respect for spiders as their web was one of the
only creations in nature that was literally perfect in design.
The vast majority of spider bites this examiner has seen over
30 years of practicing medicine are not spider bites at all.
Some are insect bites, some are skin infections and abscesses,
but not spider bites.
only true way to diagnose a spider bite is to actually see
the spider bite you. If you have killed the spider after it
has bitten you, please bring the spider in to a provider.
That helps diagnose the problem.
98-99% of all spider bites are harmless and will resolve doing
absolutely nothing. They will cause some local irritation,
some itching but will resolve in 5-7 days. Some spider bites
can lead to local skin infections which can be treated with
antibiotics. These are not life-threatening and you do not
need to be transported to a healthcare provider. It is also
important to note that the vast majority of spiders are nocturnal
and most spider bites are not caused by some aggressive attack
by the spider. Rather, the human has invaded their territory
by pressing up against them in some manner, provoking a bite
usually see with a true spider bite is a red wheal. The body
is reacting with histamine and you will have a reaction to
the area anywhere from the size of a dime, quarter to silver
dollar. There will be itching, possibly pain to the area,
and this will slowly subside. If the redness starts moving
up the extremity, that is a sign of lymphangitis, which is
the infectious process moving up the lymph system. One should
then seek out a medical care provider.
causing the most severe bites in the United States are the
brown recluse and the black widow. If the skin at the area
starts to break down and looks dark or black in nature, then
the skin tissue is dying which could possibly represent the
bite of a brown recluse. Those then indeed need to be taken
care of as soon as possible. Very rarely do individuals die
from brown recluse venom. Signs and symptoms of black widow
bites, patients usually present with extreme belly pain. Black
widow spider venom is a neurotoxin. Patients presenting are
often mistaken as having appendicitis or an ovarian cyst.
They will have some muscle rigidity and severe abdominal pain.
These also need to be transported and evaluated. Many times
the brown recluse bite is not painful at all, whereas the
black widow bite is.
the geographical location of spiders is also important. It
is very unlikely that someone will get bit by a brown recluse
spider in Wisconsin. However if they are in Kentucky, they
have a higher chance. A brown recluse is a spider found in
warmer climates and is also found in basements and attics,
dark areas, hence the name recluse.
spider bites, most of the time, are much to do about nothing.
Spider bites that are severe enough to require treatment occur
very infrequently, but do get an enormous amount of press.
Good judgment and rational thinking will help you enjoy the
outdoors far more; there is simply no need to panic about
the majority of spiders.
parent site, Survive Outdoors, offers some great additional
information and pictures on spider