How to treat spider bites
How to treat spider bites
Along with the warm days of summer comes the influx of insect bites.
Although mosquitoes garnish a lot of attention with their sting, the
spider can pack an even meaner bite. Spiders don't hunt down human flesh
for dinner like mosquitoes but the creepy crawly arachnids will
bite if provoked or if their nest is disturbed. Read on for spider bite
symptoms, types of poisonous spiders and how best to treat a spider
bite.
Among the 50,000 different species of spiders, most are harmless.
However, some do produce venom that is expelled through their hollow
fangs and injected into the victim. Fortunately, most spider fangs are
too small or not strong enough to penetrate human skin. But, some spider
bites will leave a small painful puncture that becomes red, itchy and
swollen. The toxin produced by a spider's venom can cause headache,
rash, painful joints and muscles, spasms, nausea, vomiting, fever and
chills. Although potentially painful, bites from non-venomous spiders
are not dangerous. The danger of poisonous spiders depends on the type
of spider.
Most common poisonous spiders
The United States is home to three types of poisonous spiders: black
widow, brown recluse and tarantula. A black widow spider's venom is
classified as a neurotoxin, which means it is poisonous to the nervous
system whereas the venom of a brown recluse spider causes necrosis –
essentially a breakdown of skin and tissue. The tarantula injects venom
into its prey through the hair on its body and legs, causing a severe
allergic reaction that sometimes leads to anaphylactic shock.
The black widow spider is easy to identify because of its black shiny
body with red- to orange-colored markings visible on its underside.
This spider lives in dark places such as trash cans, attics, closets,
and woodpiles and is found in parts of California and southern parts of
Canada. Black widows have also been known to hitch a ride with shipments
of fresh fruit and make an appearance in other states and other
Canadian destinations.
Although death via a black widow spider bite is uncommon, its bite
can be serious. Once bitten, the victim will notice a painful pale area
of skin surrounded by a red ring. Within the first few hours, severe
cramping may occur in the shoulders, back, abdomen and thighs. In
addition, the spider's bite may cause itching, sweating, headache,
weakness, nausea, vomiting, increased blood pressure and breathing
difficulties. Although most reactions to a black widow spider bite are
not severe, medical attention is paramount if breathing is compromised
and muscle cramps develop. Young children, the elderly and individuals
with high blood pressure are more prone to develop severe adverse
reactions to a black widow bite.
The brown recluse spider is also feared for its painful bite and
subsequent physical reactions. This spider is native to Oklahoma,
Kansas, Texas and Mississippi but can surface anywhere thanks to modern
transportation. The brown recluse spider prefers dark, quiet
surroundings and doesn't venture out into open areas very often. It
grows to a half-inch in length and its body is light brown in color.
It's often referred to as the violin or fiddleneck spider because the
markings on its back resemble a violin. Unlike other spiders, the
recluse has six eyes instead of eight and the lower part of its body has
no markings.
A brown recluse spider's bite will leave a wound resembling a bull's
eye; a red ring with a blister in the center. The blister will break
giving way to an ulcer type sore that will scab over. In some cases, the
ulcer will get larger and affect the underlying skin and muscle tissue
and be accompanied by severe pain. Within 24 to 48 hours, an itchy, red
rash will appear and may be accompanied by chills, fever, muscle aches,
nausea and vomiting. In some instances, hemolytic anemia, which is a
condition where red blood cells are destroyed, may occur.
Tarantulas are native to the southern United States and are noted for
their large size and hairy body. Once the victim has been injected with
thousands of tiny hairs from the tarantula, redness and localized pain
will commence and itchy bumps will surface that can last up to several
weeks.
Treatment of spider bites
The first rule to treating a spider bite is to clean the bite, apply
ice immediately and elevate the bite area. Bites from any of these three
spiders should be evaluated by a medical professional.
If the bite is mild, treatment includes analgesics, antihistamines
and antibiotics and Antivenin. A black widow bite may require a muscle
relaxant introduced through intravenous or high blood pressure
medication to guard against elevated blood pressure caused by the venom.
A brown recluse spider bite may require hospitalization if hemolysis
(the destruction of red blood cells leading to the release of hemoglobin
into the blood plasma) occurs and the tissue surrounding the bite
starts to die. A tarantula's bite can be treated with antihistamines or
glucocorticoids to ease the adverse symptoms. With all spider bites, a
tetanus shot is recommended.
Take precautions and avoid getting a spider bite
Prevention is the key to avoiding a painful spider bite. Avoid areas
in which spiders dwell and if your path crosses a spider's web, be
careful not to disturb it or provoke the spider. Be extra cautious when
using an outhouse – spiders often find refuge in the lowly outdoor
commode.
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