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A snake bit me. What to do? Snake bite: what to do if bitten by a snake, and how to avoid a bite Providing assistance with a snake bite

Snakes are the most peculiar creatures on the planet. They amaze people with their appearance and original way of movement. This causes increased human interest in this species. When studying snakes, we must not forget that many of their species are poisonous. What to do if you are bitten by a snake and how to provide first aid, read the article.

Snake venom

Some reptiles of this species have parotid glands that secrete poison. With the help of ducts, they are connected through canals to the two upper teeth. When a snake bites a person, the venom enters the bloodstream and causes severe poisoning, often leading to death. The question arises, what should you do if you are bitten by a snake? Provide first aid immediately. But there is no need to kill snakes, since they are a source of poison necessary for making medicine.

The degree of poisoning from snake venom primarily depends on its dose, concentration and location of penetration. Therefore, the consequences are different. The age of a person and his state of health are of great importance. The most dangerous are bites to the head and torso. If the venom from a bite immediately enters a vessel with blood, a person can die in five to ten minutes. for example, it is twice as dangerous if administered intramuscularly than subcutaneously. What should you do if you are bitten by a snake? Urgently, without wasting a minute, provide first aid. How to do this, read the article.

When can a snake bite?

For example, he does not take active steps to attack. This happens when a person steps on it, tries to touch it with their hands, or accidentally falls into its nest. In this case, there is a justification for her attack: she is defending her territory. To avoid it you need to be extremely careful in its habitats.

The snake is deaf, but it perfectly senses the slightest vibration of the ground on which a person walks. She won't come closer, she'll just crawl away. The greatest chance of meeting a viper is during mushroom season. To prevent this from happening, you need to take any stick and tap it on the ground in front of you.

Symptoms of poisoning

Bite marks are noticeable - two wounds with a triangular shape.
There is pain and a burning sensation.
Redness of the tissues around the bite.
Swelling that spreads quickly.

Hemorrhages.
Weakness throughout the body.
My head is spinning.
Pallor of the skin, nausea and vomiting of blood appear.
Body temperature rises to forty degrees.

Signs of severe poisoning

In severe poisoning, hemorrhages spread in spots beyond the bite site. The affected area of the body becomes purple-bluish in color, and the skin becomes covered with blisters filled with bloody, cloudy fluid. Often the victim’s condition is complicated by the occurrence of venous thrombosis and lymphadenitis. This can occur 8-36 hours after a snake bite, when the poison penetrates the human body. In this case, there is a strong increase in the volume of the affected area. The wounds bleed for a long time, and later ulcers and necrosis form. What to do if you are bitten to avoid negative consequences? First of all, it is correct to provide assistance and urgently take the victim to the hospital.

What to do if you are bitten by a snake

First aid to the victim should be provided by a person who knows how to do it. Wrong actions can cause harm.
It is extremely rare, but it happens that a snake, for example a viper, grabs tightly and does not want to let go. It must be torn from the skin by force.
What should you do if you are bitten by a snake? Before the wound begins to heal, you can suck out the poison. Only a person should not have any wounds in his mouth, otherwise he will poison himself.
What to do if you are bitten by a snake? First aid is provided in order to prevent the spread of poison throughout the body, so the victim needs to be kept at rest and not moved from place to place.
Apply a compressive bandage to the bite site, but do not apply a tourniquet above or below it.

What to do if you are bitten by a snake if it is on your arm or leg? First of all, it is necessary to remove everything that is worn on the limbs. The poison always causes significant swelling; all jewelry and hygiene items will interfere with blood circulation, which can lead to gangrene.
What should you do if you are bitten by a snake? If you have it on hand, take an allergy pill.
To quickly remove poison from the body, the victim needs to drink at least three liters of water or a little sweetened tea. You need to drink the liquid in small sips.

What not to do

The most dangerous and common mistake when providing first aid to a victim is the use of a tourniquet, which is applied to an arm or leg. This will not help the spread of the poison, since it is more aggressive and will still penetrate the body. But the bitten area will suffer. The fact is that the poison provokes a process such as tissue necrosis. If a snake bites your leg or arm, the tourniquet can lead to gangrene.
It is unacceptable to cut the wound; it can cause infection.
You cannot cauterize the bite site. This will not help, since the viper injects its poison deeply. Cauterization only further traumatizes the bite site.
Do not drink alcohol, it speeds up the effect of the poison.
Don't waste your time chasing a snake.

What should you do if you are bitten by a snake? The main thing is to remain calm. Panic will not lead to anything good. If a person becomes confused and fear settles in him, he may waste time. You should know that a viper bite is very rarely fatal, even if the victim did not seek medical help.

In nature, there are two thousand six hundred species of different snakes. In most cases, they hunt for a moving object. The exception is those snakes that feed on carrion. For example, the snake is ovivorous.
When they detect danger, spitting species fall on their backs with their mouths open, pretending to be dead. At the same time, they give off a foul odor. This is a kind of protection from attacks by predators. They do not like carrion with a bad smell.
On the head of the viper, boa constrictor and python there is an organ that instantly reacts to any temperature changes, thanks to which snakes hunt well at night.

It is considered the fastest snake, its movement speed is sixteen kilometers per hour. The coloring does not match the first word of the name. This snake is gray, green or brown in color. It doesn't come black.
The longest snake on the planet is the Fluffy python, a resident of the Ohio Zoo. Its length is seven meters thirty-one centimeters. This is a representative of the Guinness Book of Records.
You've probably heard more than once that in Mexico there is a herbivorous snake, whose body is covered with thick hair. Rumor has it that she has long been a pet; children love to play with her. We may disappoint you, but such a snake does not exist, in fact, the herbivorous hairy reptiles are a myth.

While in nature, you should always remember your safety, which concerns not only salvation from natural disasters, attacks by predatory animals, insects, but also reptiles. On the territory of Russia there are several species of poisonous snakes, encounters with which are best avoided: viper, viper, yellow-bellied snake, copperhead, and copperhead. In addition, there is the possibility of meeting exotic reptiles on the territory of the Russian Federation, imported from southern countries, for example, the epha, the Central Asian cobra. When meeting a snake, you must be able to recognize its species, whether it is poisonous or not, in order to take all measures to prevent an attack and avoid unpleasant consequences. If a reptile attack does occur, you need to know how first aid is provided for a poisonous snake bite. If help is not provided on time, there is a risk of death.

How to distinguish a poisonous snake?

The most common types of poisonous snakes in Russia are the viper and the copperhead. If luck is not on your side, you can also find some exotic species of venomous snakes. As a rule, poisonous snakes are not the first to attack a person, but do so for the purpose of self-defense. They become especially aggressive during the mating season and molting.

Not everyone will be able to determine upon meeting whether a reptile is poisonous or not. There are several signs that distinguish venomous snakes from non-venomous ones:

The head is triangular in shape.
Bright colors or intricate patterns on a contrasting background.
Vertical slits of the eyelids. Non-venomous snakes usually have round eyes.
The presence of a heat-sensitive pit between the nostrils and eyes, thanks to which the viper finds warm-blooded prey.
The rattlesnake has a “rattle” at the end of its body.
Most venomous snakes have one row of scales at the end of their tail, while non-venomous ones have two.
If you see a snake swimming through the water, you can definitely say that it is poisonous.
Only poisonous reptiles have fangs. If it has bitten, the danger of the snake can be determined by the bite mark - the wound after a non-poisonous reptile has jagged edges, and after a poisonous one - one or two punctures from the fangs.

A poisonous snake bite can be fatal if first aid measures are not taken promptly.

. If you encounter a snake on the way, there is no need to provoke it into an attack, try to grab it or kill it. If she begins to hiss, rattle her tail, or spit, this serves as a warning before an attack.

Snakebite

If there is no obvious threat from a snake, but a snake bite has been observed, or an attack has occurred and you are not sure that the snake is not poisonous, you need to watch for symptoms that may occur:

When bitten by poisonous snakes, you can notice 1 or 2 punctures on the skin left by the fangs of the viper.
There is pain and burning at the site of the bite.
After 10-30 minutes, swelling appears at the site of the bite.
The skin around the wound becomes bluish.
Nausea, dizziness, decreased body temperature, and drowsiness occur.
Pale skin
Confusion
Severe weakness
Shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, renal failure may develop.

As a rule, such symptoms occur with the bites of most venomous snakes, including vipers. If help is not provided for bites, there is a risk of tissue death and the development of gangrene of the limb. Central Asian cobra bites have slightly different symptoms: there is severe, burning pain in the damaged area, but no discoloration of the tissues is observed. The wound site swells a little, and ichor comes out of it. The functions of the injured limb are impaired, which manifests itself in the occurrence of ascending paralysis.

Cobra neurotoxin has a destructive effect on the facial muscles: the eyelids and lower jaw spontaneously droop, and the movement of the eyeballs is impaired. In addition, general intoxication of the body occurs: severe weakness, anxiety, difficulty breathing and swallowing reflexes, increased salivation, nausea, vomiting, incoherent, slurred speech. Cobra bites are very poisonous, and when the first symptoms appear, urgent emergency assistance is necessary for the victim, otherwise death may occur within 2 or 7 hours due to respiratory arrest.

Snakebite

Symptoms do not always develop in the same way for all people. Firstly, it depends on the age of the person: more pronounced symptoms of snake venom poisoning will occur in children and the elderly, as well as in the presence of various diseases and reduced immunity. Secondly, the severity of symptoms depends on the type of snake and its size: cobra bites are considered more poisonous than vipers, and when a small and young snake bites, it causes less harm than a large and adult snake. Thirdly, the location of the bite is important: often the limbs of a person are attacked, and then the symptoms do not spread as quickly and are not expressed as strongly as with bites on the neck, face, or parts of the body where large blood vessels are located. Fourth, the condition of snake teeth can cause more or less harm depending on their infection, leading to the entry of pathogenic microorganisms into the wound.

What to do if you are bitten by a poisonous snake

To avoid irreparable consequences if an attack occurs, you need to know what to do if you are bitten:

You cannot move actively and quickly so as not to allow the poison to spread faster throughout the body. The degree of development of symptoms depends on the speed at which the poison spreads in the blood.
You need to try to keep the bite site intact; you must not injure it even more, for example, by cutting or cauterizing it.
It is necessary to ensure the free movement of lymph flow, therefore, you cannot apply a tourniquet to the injured limb in order to avoid disruption of blood flow, destruction and death of tissue.
You should not drink alcohol - it makes it difficult to remove toxic substances from the body.
You should immediately protect yourself from a repeat attack by the reptile.
If the attack occurred on the hand, you must immediately remove all rings and other jewelry so that they do not put pressure on the limb during swelling.

First of all, the victim needs to be provided with complete rest and plenty of fluids to remove the poison from the body as quickly as possible. Further measures are aimed at preventing its spread throughout the body, deterioration of well-being, and also at reducing the severity of the development of symptoms before the victim is provided with qualified medical care.

Providing first aid for a poisonous snake bite

First medical aid, as mentioned earlier, must be provided immediately. This is reflected in the following activities:

To prevent the poison from actively spreading throughout the body, it is necessary to immobilize the affected limb, as is done with a fracture. To do this, you need to fix the two closest joints by applying a splint.
When providing first aid for a bite, you must carefully examine the clothing and skin around the wound for the presence of traces of poison. By touching these places, you can inadvertently introduce an additional portion of poison into the wound.
An effective technique is to suck out the poison from the wound. But this should only be done if there are no micro-wounds in the mouth. Suction must begin immediately, as soon as the attack occurs. It is necessary to spit out the poison for 15 minutes, thoroughly rinsing your mouth after it. There is also a safer method for the rescuer to suction out the poison, using a glass jar. To do this, you need to take a regular bottle, burn the oxygen out of it, and place it on the bite site for 1 minute. The vacuum effect will draw out the toxic substance. The effectiveness of this method depends on the depth of the bite, the degree of swelling of the wound, and the speed of the rescuer’s actions.
It is necessary to disinfect the wound with any available means - iodine, brilliant green, etc. Apply a clean, non-pressure bandage to the bite site, loosening it as the swelling increases.
Give the victim plenty of fluids other than coffee and alcohol. This will allow you to remove some of the poison remaining after sucking, which did not have time to dissolve in the blood.

As these measures are carried out, the victim should be immediately taken to the hospital, where he will be injected with anti-snake serum. Self-administration of this drug is contraindicated, since it is necessary to know the exact dose of the administered serum, otherwise there is a high risk of anaphylactic shock. In a medical facility, in order to reduce the likelihood of shock, the victim is first given a solution of Prednisolone or Hydrocortisone along with an intravenous injection of sodium chloride solution, 5% glucose solution and albumin.

Traditional medicine

St. John's wort tea for prevention after a snake bite

If an accident involving an attack by poisonous snakes occurred far from civilization, first aid may involve the use of traditional medicine:

Moisten a cotton swab with ammonia solution and apply it to the wound, changing it three times a day.
Steam fresh or dried veronica herb (so-called snake grass) and apply to the wound.
Use crushed garlic with salt.
For pain relief, you can use gruel from the trifid series, applying it to the wound.
You can also use crushed nettle leaves mixed with honey as a lotion.

What to do if you are bitten by a snake: video

Update: October 2018

Just the sight of a crawling snake fills us with horror and fear. But, contrary to what many people think, even the most poisonous snake will never attack a person with the intention of deliberately biting. By attacking a person, the snake protects itself from danger. Only now a person rarely steps on a snake in order to crush it.

Thus, a person receives snake bites through negligence, accidentally stepping on an animal or disturbing its habitat, while the snake attacks a person because the natural instinct of self-preservation is triggered. This is another reason to be especially vigilant when visiting forests and swamps!

Statistical Facts About Snakes

How to distinguish the bite of a poisonous snake from a non-venomous one

On the left is a non-venomous snake, on the right is a poisonous one

Snakes are a suborder of reptiles that has many families, both venomous and non-venomous, with a variety of colors and patterns. In addition, there are melanistic (black) individuals. Therefore, sometimes it is not easy to distinguish a poisonous individual from a non-venomous one, for example, a melanistic viper from a melanistic snake, etc.

Few of us can quickly determine whether a snake is poisonous or not. When a person accidentally disturbs a snake, and it bites him in self-defense, often he does not even see it. And if she notices it, it is difficult to quickly determine whether its bite is dangerous or not. However, this can be recognized by the bite mark left behind:

Poisonous snake bite - traces of its fangs are visible
Non-venomous snake bite - 2 scratches or small thin stripes

If you manage to see the snake that bit you, try to remember its size, color, pattern, characteristic movements, etc., this may be useful for selecting the necessary serum.

Non-venomous snakes

Already ordinary

Patterned runner

Already melanistic

Medyanka (spindle)

Medyanka (spindle)

Poisonous snakes

in the south of the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus, in the Kazakhstan steppes, floodplains of the Altai and Uzbekistan rivers, in the foothills of Kyrgyzstan

Pallas's copperhead

in Azerbaijan, the steppes of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, the shores of the Aral Sea, the Caspian Sea, southern Siberia, Northern Uzbekistan

in Central Asia (sandy areas)

Gyurza

in the Caucasus, Central Asia and Transcaucasia

Cobra

in Southern Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan

Characteristics of bites from poisonous snakes in our latitudes

In our latitudes there are 14 species of poisonous snakes from the families of colubrids, vipers and aspides. The copperhead and snake snakes, representatives of already-like species, can bite a person, but their bite does not pose any danger; only the wound can fester. But the representatives of the two remaining families pose a real danger to their lives.

	Viperaceae - Common viper	Aspidae - Central Asian cobra
Attack Features	When potential danger approaches, it tries to crawl away or lies quietly. Bites if stepped on, picked up or chased.	At the sight of danger, it takes a typical pose, hisses, and when a person approaches, it jumps forward, but does not always bite at this moment, it can simply hit its head with its jaws closed.
Venom components	Hyaluronidase - destroys capillaries, breaks down connective tissue, increases tissue permeability; Phospholipase – causes hemolysis of red blood cells.	Neurotoxin is the main toxin that blocks sensitive skin receptors and the conduction of nerve impulses; Cardiotoxin – has a toxic effect on blood vessels and the heart.
Where does the poison accumulate?	In the head of the snake there are special venom-bearing glands, the excretory ducts of which enter the fangs. The release of poison occurs due to contraction of the temporal muscles.
Effect of poison	Destroys the walls of blood vessels, proteins, blood cells. Blood clots form inside the vessels, the function of the heart and liver is damaged, and the water-mineral balance is disrupted.	Causes disruption of reflex activity. Paralysis, paresis of the limbs, heart failure and circulatory disorders occur.

Symptoms of a poisonous snake bite

After a snake bite, a certain symptom complex develops, directly related to the entry and spread of snake venom throughout the body. The consequences of a cobra attack are always more severe than those of a viper. The severity of the bite and, accordingly, the symptoms depend on several factors:

victim's body weight– the smaller it is, the more severe the intoxication;
human health status– chronic diseases aggravate the course of intoxication;
bite sites: the most dangerous are the head, neck and poison getting into a blood vessel;
air temperature– the higher it is, the faster intoxication develops;
the size of the snake - large individuals secrete more poison;
the amount of poison that enters the body.

Surprisingly, a viper’s bite can be completely safe if it has recently used its venom - the deadly liquid is produced slowly.

Common viper

Local	Are common	Symptoms of severe intoxication
Punctures from snake teeth on the skin - 1 or 2 small dots Pain at the site of injury (minor) Burning, redness, swelling of the bite area, which forms within 10-30 minutes Blueness of the skin Pinpoint hemorrhages and bloody blisters Possible formation of areas of skin necrosis	Nausea Tachycardia Drowsiness Dizziness Decreased body temperature	Confusion Dizziness Nausea Weakness Pale skin, cold extremities Sweating As the symptoms increase, the following appear: fever, rapid breathing. In the future, fainting and the development of renal failure and circulatory disorders are possible.

Central Asian cobra

Local symptoms	General symptoms
Burning pain in the bite area, decreasing only after a few hours Bloody ichor that oozes from the wound for some time Tissue swelling, less pronounced compared to a viper bite No change in skin color Upward spreading paralysis: begins in the affected limb, then extends to the torso and head. The eyelids and lower jaw droop, the movement of the eyeballs is impaired	Weakness, anxiety Loss of coordination Difficulty breathing Nausea and vomiting Hiccups, difficulty swallowing, hypersalivation Impaired and slurred speech Cardiac dysfunction Involuntary urination and defecation

What not to do if you are bitten by a snake

Apply a tourniquet - a sharp disruption of blood circulation increases the degree of tissue damage and intoxication.
Cut the tissue at the site of the bite, supposedly to release blood with poison. This is fraught with infection in the wound, poison entering the vessels and damage to vital vessels and nerves.
Cauterize the wound.
Drink alcohol, which accelerates the spread of poison throughout the body.
Inject the damaged area with anesthetics (novocaine, adrenaline).

First aid for a snake bite

If a person died from a poisonous snake bite, most likely it was due to untimely first aid. The first aid algorithm will help save a person from the serious consequences of a snake attack, and sometimes death:

Call an ambulance. Even if a person objectively feels well, within a couple of minutes life-threatening conditions may arise, such as impaired cardiac and respiratory function.
Suck the poison out of the wound as soon as possible (optimally - within 1-3 minutes after the bite):
- open the punctures from the teeth by lightly rubbing the damaged skin between the fingers;
- grab the tissue near the wounds with your teeth and suck out the poison, slightly pressing the surrounding tissue with your hands;
- the liquid that has been sucked out should be immediately spat out - the danger of poisoning from poison that has entered the stomach is minimal, but you should definitely not swallow a mixture of poison and blood;
- actions should be clear and quick, procedure time – 15-20 minutes

If you find yourself alone in such a situation, and it is physically impossible to suck out the poison yourself, try to at least squeeze out a little blood from the wound in the first minutes. But this should be done very carefully, pressing down the surrounding tissues, and not the wound itself.

Disinfect the wound alcohol-free antiseptic (hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate solution, brilliant green) - gently wipe the wounded surface.
Apply an aseptic bandage to the wound.
Ensure rest of the limb and whole body– free the limb from clothes, watches, bracelets (if the bite was on the hand), fix the limb with splints and take a horizontal position.
Apply a compression bandage to the limb– wrap loosely with an elastic bandage so that your finger can easily fit under the bandage.
Apply cold to the bite site– ice in a towel, a heating pad with cold water.
Take antihistamines:
- administer intramuscularly 1 ml of 1% solution of diphenhydramine, suprastin;
- or take an antihistamine orally (Suprastin, Loratadine, Fenkarol) and continue taking it as directed for 3-5 days;
- or (in case of a strong reaction) inject 30-60 mg of prednisolone intramuscularly or take 1 tablet of 5 mg orally.

Relieve general intoxication:
- drink 3-5 liters of liquid per day;
- when bitten by a viper, a warm alkaline drink (still mineral water, soda solution 1 tsp per glass of water) in a volume of 1-2 liters is recommended;
- take vitamins C and P;
- intravenously: 400 ml of 5% glucose, 400 ml of rheopolyglucin.

Stimulate cardiac and respiratory activity(if necessary and the presence of appropriate symptoms): chest compressions, artificial respiration.
Administer the antidote. This event is carried out by a medical professional. Depending on what type of snake bit the person, Antigyurza or Anticobra serum is administered. The action of serums is based on the destruction of poison components. They are most effective when administered in the first hours after the bite; they should be administered no later than the first day.

Preventing snake bites

Do not provoke the snake into active actions, do not scream, let it calmly crawl away and hide;
Be careful in the forest and swamp, watch your step, do not walk in places where there is dead wood;
When visiting forests, wear high boots and thick clothing;
When moving through the forest, tap a long stick in front of you. When picking berries from a small bush, also run a stick along it, and only after a few minutes collect the berries;
When spending the night in the forest, carefully check your tents and sleeping bags to see if a snake has crawled inside. Close tent doors tightly.

Spider bites

The likelihood of encountering spiders in nature is much higher than snakes. Spiders, as we know, do not attack humans; most often a person receives bites due to his own carelessness and reckless curiosity, catching spiders and putting them on his hand. Like any other living creature, a spider protects itself, so it can bite when a person disturbs an arthropod without noticing it, since their size is small.

Statistical facts:

There are about 30,000 species of spiders in the world;
Almost all of them are poisonous;
The poison is produced by special glands and injected into the victim through fangs - chelicerae;
The most poisonous poison for humans is produced by the female karakurt - the black widow;
The larger the spider, the more venom it produces.

What does a spider bite look and feel like?

The moment of the bite is similar to piercing the skin with a thin needle or is completely imperceptible;
A white spot with pink or red edges appears at the site of damage;
There is redness, numbness and tingling of the bite area;
After some time, an ulcer may form at the site of the bite, the contents of which are gradually rejected;
Symptoms of intoxication appear within 5-20 minutes;
Common symptoms may develop: headache, muscle weakness, chills, convulsions, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, gastrointestinal spasms, urticaria.

South Russian tarantula

Lives in minks in arid areas in southern Russia. Habitat: steppes, deserts.

The bite is a spherical swelling of a pale color with reddish edges, which bursts within 1-2 hours and turns into an ulcer.

Spider - recluse

Found from the southern midwestern United States to the Gulf of Mexico.

The bite is a blister with a bluish-purple, red or white border that looks like a target. Increases in size and bursts to form an ulcer

Karakurt - black widow

Lives in Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia, Astrakhan, Rostov, Volgograd, Saratov, the Azov and Black Sea regions, Altai Territory, even in Novosibirsk. They love the slopes of ravines, virgin wormwood, banks of irrigation ditches, and where there are hot summers and warm autumns.

The bite is visually invisible - a small red spot may form that quickly disappears

Black Widow

The phrase black widow is the second name of the female karakurt, since after mating she devours the male. This black spider is deadly to humans, and symptoms develop only after a few hours. When biting, a black widow brings discomfort to a person in the form of pain, but the wound itself is almost invisible on the skin.

Symptoms of a bite develop after 1-2 hours, subside within 1-3 days:

Pain and erythema at the site of injury;
Excitement, anxiety;
Headache and dizziness;
Sweating;
Nausea and vomiting;
Hypertension;
Increased salivation;
Erythematous rash, itching;
Ptosis;
Swelling of the extremities;
Muscle spasms, cramps;
Cramping pain in the abdomen.

Paresthesia, seizures, weakness and restlessness may persist for several weeks.

Fatalities are rare; children, the elderly and patients with chronic diseases are at risk. The most dangerous outcome is the development of DIC syndrome: disseminated intravascular coagulation of platelets, which quickly leads to death.

Tarantula

The tarantula lives in steppe and desert areas and hunts at night. The idea of the tarantula as a deadly arthropod is greatly exaggerated. The bite of this type of spider extremely rarely leads to the death of a person and only with the development of a severe allergy in the form of anaphylactic shock. A tarantula can bite a person, but it can also defend itself in another way - by shedding thin hairs that stick into the skin:

Tarantula

The tarantula, a colorful member of spiders, often becomes a pet and can bite its owner. They do not pose a mortal danger. When biting a person, it only damages the skin, but does not inject poison. Therefore, a typical swelling forms at the site of damage, which disappears after a few days. However, if the wound is not treated, infection and suppuration of the affected area may occur.

Recluse spider bite

The hermit is common in the USA and Australia. On the back of the arthropod there is a camouflage pattern in the shape of a violin, so it is difficult to notice it in places where it likes to hide - old boxes, cracks in walls and floors, niches under beds. The hermit’s bite is not noticeable to humans, and deadly symptoms develop only on the second day:

severe itching, induration and swelling at the site of injury;
ulceration of the skin at the site of the bite;
tissue necrosis to the deep layers of the skin, difficult to treat;
elevated temperature;
muscle and joint pain;
cough, runny nose.

A fatal outcome is possible with the development of severe intoxication - arachnosis: necrosis of the skin and nearby tissues, diffuse myalgia and convulsions, drop in blood pressure, hemolysis of red blood cells, depression of cardiac activity.

Cross spider and black house spider

Cross spiders are the most common type of spider in our area. They weave their webs near a person’s home and even inside the house. Reach sizes up to 1-2 cm.
The black house spider is smaller in size and lives both inside and outside the home.

A person is bitten only when they fall into his hands, and then only if they try to hold the spider. House spider bites do not pose a mortal danger. Epeirotoxin, the main component of the poison, can lead to cold-like symptoms - aching joints, weakness and headache, which lasts for about a day. A slight swelling forms at the site of damage.

What to do if you are bitten by a spider?

First aid helps to avoid unpleasant complications of a spider bite. If the damage does not cause concern, these measures are quite sufficient, but it will not be superfluous to play it safe and visit a doctor:

Wash the bite area with cold water and soap, the sooner the better.
Treat the wound with the available antiseptic: chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate solution.
Immobilize the bitten limb.
Bandage the limb with an elastic bandage above the injury site, tightly, but not too tightly.
Apply cold to the bite site.
Drink as much fluid as possible.
With the development of general symptoms -.
If a mild allergic reaction develops, take an antihistamine - Loratadine, Suprastin, Fenkarol.

When to see a doctor

If you suspect or you know for sure that you have been bitten by a spider, you need to consult a doctor. It is difficult for the average person to differentiate which type of spider attacked, but there is definitely no need to waste precious time.

If you experience the symptoms described below, you should not hesitate to call an ambulance:

Rash all over the body;
Numbness of the injured area;
Muscle spasms and cramps;
Pain in the right hypochondrium, similar to appendicitis;
Hyperthermia;
Headache;
General weakness;
Pink urine.

What to do if bitten by a poisonous spider?

In this case, you should immediately visit a doctor or call an ambulance. Of course, first aid measures will help reduce intoxication, but they should be performed on the way to the hospital or while waiting for an ambulance, i.e. You can't do this without medical help.

Black widow bites treated with the introduction of a special serum and antihistamine therapy. In severe cases, intravenous infusion of cardiac drugs, respiratory analeptics, muscle relaxants is carried out, and hormonal therapy is indicated.
Hermit bites treatment takes a long time due to the development of specific tissue necrosis. Dead skin and tissue are surgically removed, and hormonal and antibacterial therapy is prescribed.
Detoxification therapy in the form of intravenous administration of saline solutions and glucose helps to cope with the general symptoms of a spider bite.

Prevention of spider bites

Do not pick up or try to catch spiders - active human actions provoke spiders to attack. This recommendation also applies to domestic spiders, especially exotic ones, which have become fashionable to breed in apartments.
Exercise caution when visiting attics, street buildings, or dismantling old things.
Avoid creating conditions favorable for spiders to settle: carry out cleaning in a timely manner, especially in hard-to-reach places: under and behind cabinets, behind curtain rods, etc.
When visiting areas where poisonous spiders are found, wear thick shoes and closed clothing.
Try not to show excessive curiosity and not to stick your hands into cracks, under stones, etc., teach this to your children too!

First aid for a snake bite must be provided as quickly as possible to have the desired effect.

Unlike insects, snakes usually rarely attack first. Often they are provoked by the victim himself, be it an intentional or unintentional action. Sometimes a person misses the very moment of the bite, which is typical in situations when the reptile was hiding and was not noticed right away.

Most ordinary people prefer to avoid even relatively safe snakes, let alone a poisonous snake. The representatives of the fauna themselves prefer to retreat when a person approaches. But it also happens when an animal is basking in the sun in a familiar place, and the victim accidentally steps on it. In this situation, the likelihood of a bite increases significantly.

No less often, pets who want to play with “strangers” become victims of poisonous lesions. Regardless of who specifically suffered from a poisonous bite, humans and animals will require mandatory administration of a specific serum.

Until the victim is taken to the nearest hospital department or the ambulance team reaches him, he will need first aid. Its basics include measures aimed at equalizing the current state of health and maintaining vital signs at a satisfactory level.

Clinical manifestations

The highest quality medical care is provided in cases where the patient or others have managed to notice what type of reptile has caused dangerous damage. This will allow you to outline a further treatment program with increased chances of success.

But even despite the fact that there are quite a lot of dangerous scaly representatives on the territory of the post-Soviet countries, they have a number of common signs of defeat. This is explained by the fact that the components of snake venom almost always contain components similar in their spectrum of action.

In short, neurotoxins become the basic elements of aggressive environments towards the victim’s tissue. Their main task is a destructive effect on nerve structures.

The second component is called hemolysin. Its distinctive feature is called provoking the breakdown of healthy red blood cells and other blood cells. Cardiotoxin completes the depressing picture. As the name implies, it negatively affects the functioning of the heart muscle and the cardiovascular system as a whole.

Cholinesterase is no less dangerous. This is the name for an enzyme that is designed to destabilize natural neuromuscular transmission.

But sometimes the standard set can be supplemented with some specific components, which is more suitable for rare exotic species that are found in the jungle.

Looking at the main symptoms of anxiety, they can be sorted into four broad categories, including:

local manifestations;
general manifestations;
cardiac disorders;
neurological disorders.

The first point covers signs that are relatively easy to detect during the initial examination of the patient and questioning regarding his current condition. At the site of the suspected lesion, two triangular-shaped teeth marks will be visible, located at the same level in relation to each other. The distance between the wounds is from 2 to 3 mm, depending on the specific type of reptile.

Unlike ticks, snakes almost never release an anesthetic enzyme when venom is directly injected. This means that the person will instantly experience severe burning and soreness in the indicated area.

redness;
pronounced swelling;
cyanosis;
dark spots, sometimes accompanied by blisters;
bloody discharge from the bitten holes.

At the same time, both humans and dogs will begin to have problems with the functioning of the cardiovascular system. If at this moment you take measurements of the heartbeat, then everything will indicate classic tachycardia with a number of beats under 120 units.

Additionally, the victim will face the consequences of a sharp drop in blood pressure, rapid breathing and pain in the chest area. All of the above is especially dangerous if the injury was caused to a child.

Neurological disorders include:

muscle weakness;
headache;
clouding of mind;
reduced visual acuity;
double vision;
inability to focus;
inability to swallow something normally;
distortion of the facial muscles;
drooping eyelids.

The general neurological disorder ends with numbness of the entire body.

Against the backdrop of all of the above, hemorrhages and a rapid increase in temperature become standard reactions of the body. If you don’t know what to do from the very beginning, then within the first half hour the victim will experience bloody vomiting and diarrhea. The clinical picture will be complemented by progressive hepatic-renal failure.

Features of symptoms

In order for first aid to really help alleviate your well-being, it is extremely important to determine the severity of the symptoms of the lesion. This means that even if in the first minutes after the bite a person still feels relatively normal, this does not mean that he is fine.

For pre-medical therapy, you will have to take into account not only the type of snake, but also its size and age. Often, people from the post-Soviet space have to deal with a rather narrow list of poisonous reptiles, the popularity rating of which is topped by vipers.

It is believed that the most dangerous varieties are:

rattlesnakes;
cobras;
asps.

Do not assume that small and young individuals pose less of a threat. Experts, on the contrary, consider them more dangerous, especially taking into account their ability to generate huge amounts of poison in the event of particularly strong fear.

Also, the location of the wound will influence the degree of damage. Most often, the limbs of such animals are targeted, which gives the patient a slight head start. But if there is damage to the neck, face, torso with dangerous proximity to the location of large vessels, then the situation worsens.

In addition to the age of the aggressive animal, it is worth considering the age of the victim itself and its health. The worst sufferers of poisons are the elderly and children. The presence of various chronic diseases accelerates the spread of toxins.

It is worth paying attention to the behavior immediately after the injection of poisonous enzymes. The more intensely the patient moved, the faster the enzymes spread throughout the body. It is not for nothing that the first measures of assistance include the need to give the victim the most comfortable, motionless position.

Another cause for concern may be tooth infection by pathogenic microorganisms. Such pathogens quickly generate the launch of purulent-necrotic processes that aggravate the general condition.

Depending on all of the above aspects, the course of the pathology can occur either smoothly, step by step, or abruptly or abruptly. If it is impossible to provide the necessary assistance in a short time, the person usually dies of shock. To prevent death, immediately after detecting characteristic triangular marks on the skin, you should immediately go to the hospital.

Distinctive features of common snake bites

The rules for providing hospital care provide for the need to figure out what type of reptile caused the injury. This will be required to improve the effectiveness of subsequent therapy. Because of this, it is worth paying attention to both the characteristics of the snake itself and the course of the lesion.

In most cases, people have to deal with general toxic reactions, which is typical for low-toxic fauna. Doctors will have to confront extensive purulent wounds at the site of the lesion, using multi-stage antitoxic therapy for this.

But on vacation in exotic countries, many have to deal with more cruel snakes, poisons that destroy blood cells, provoking the onset of flaccid paralysis of the transverse muscles. The respiratory muscles also suffer from the components.

The worst is for those who have encountered royal asps. Despite the fact that their bite is not accompanied by significant pain, within a couple of minutes the victim will feel numbness and then paralysis. In the absence of adequate response measures, death occurs very quickly.

In second place in the schematic TOP is the cobra, which even bites very painfully. With such a lesion, extensive hemolysis of red blood cells comes to the fore, followed by the development of hemolytic jaundice. The clinical picture is complemented by liver failure. Any neurotoxic reactions are of a secondary nature, which aggravates the course of the process and the general condition.

Rounding out the top three are pit snakes and rattlesnakes. Even immediately after the bite, the victim experiences severe burning and pain. Next comes:

swelling, covering even areas distant from the lesion;
bruising;
blisters that gradually merge into general necrotic wounds.

All this results in a hyperthermic reaction with a heclitic rise in body temperature, chills, and intoxication, which is expressed in nausea and vomiting. The likelihood of internal bleeding localized in the gastrointestinal tract increases.

First aid

The faster and better quality assistance is provided, the higher the chances of getting out of such a dangerous situation without significant consequences for the body.

First of all, the patient is placed in a comfortable position. This is necessary to slow down the spread of toxic substances. If you can calm the victim, then this is generally excellent, because in panic the heart begins to work more actively, accelerating the blood faster.

If after a bite the snake continues to cling with its teeth, then it must be removed immediately. The longer the contact lasts, the more poison will get inside. Immediately after this, any accessories such as rings, bracelets and ties are removed from the person. Even if assistance is provided as quickly as possible, swelling will still affect the tissue, so it will be more effective to work proactively.

It would be best to stun the aggressive reptile and place it in an empty backpack or bag, tying the top tightly. Such foresight will make it possible in the future to quickly understand therapy based on identification of the animal species.

While one person catches the snake, the second must clean the wound from the poison that has not yet been absorbed. Ideally, medical bulbs are used for this, but in field conditions such a luxury is unlikely to be found, so you can try to suck out the affected blood with your mouth.

But this can only be done if the person does not have damage to the oral mucosa. Otherwise, even a slight penetration of toxins through small wounds will cause deterioration in the health of the second participant in the hike.

Next, you will need to apply a bandage above the problem area. It is designed to block exclusively lymphatic and venous drainage. It is forbidden to compress the arteries, since it can only cause harm due to destabilization of the usual microcirculation. In the worst case scenario, a person will have to face necrosis.

An auxiliary but effective measure is to provide the bite victim with plenty of fluids. This helps reduce toxic concentrations.

It is worth preparing in advance for possible resuscitation with all that it entails, such as chest compressions and artificial respiration.

But you should not apply a tourniquet to the damaged area, since such manipulation will only worsen the blood supply, aggravating the course of the necrotic manifestation. Also, do not cauterize the bite site, apply warm compresses or ice packs.

Just the thought of meeting a snake sends an unpleasant chill down your spine. It is necessary to adhere to the fundamental rules in order to avoid consequences. What to do if bitten by a snake?

How to distinguish a poisonous snake

Some signs that are characteristic of poisonous individuals can be identified:

the head is shaped like a triangle;
The color is bright, you can see an interesting pattern on the back. It contrasts against the main background;
vertical elongated pupils, in harmless eyes and the pupil has a round shape;
on the tip of the tail of the poisonous representative there is 1 row of scales, and on the non-poisonous one - 2;
There is a pit between the nostrils and the eyes. She is responsible for searching for warm-blooded food;
there is a rattle at the end of the rattle, and the cobra expands its neck (as if it is taking wings);
Poisonous representatives swim in the water.

Some signs are very difficult to identify at first glance. Even a professional can make mistakes. Therefore, you should not provoke her to attack. Some of them hiss, rattle their tails, spit out venom, or bang their heads. These are characteristic features of an attack.

What should be in a first aid kit to help with a snake bite?

Snake bite is a threat. It is important to start taking action on time. The poison spreads throughout the body, poisoning it. Administration of an antidote for a bite is sometimes unavailable; moreover, skills and sterile instruments are required. Then universal medications are used, which are available in everyone to provide first aid for a snake bite.

First aid kit

Neutralization of allergy symptoms is carried out with antihistamines. They are effective if administered intramuscularly no later than 1 hour.

Comprehensive care is provided by steroid hormones - prednisolone, dexamethasone. You can numb the site of a snake bite with tramadol or a mixture of analgin and diphenhydramine (2 ml + 1 ml, respectively).

Note: If a snake bites, the affected area must be disinfected. Use hydrogen peroxide, a concentrated solution of manganese or brilliant green.

To prevent tissue damage, it is recommended to use ascorbic acid. Additionally, the victim must be provided with a large volume of drinking water. It is best to prepare a soda solution. For a diuretic effect, take indapamide or furosemide.

How to distinguish the bite of a poisonous snake from a non-venomous one

All individuals can bite, but the consequences vary. It's not always possible to remember a snake. However, measures must be taken immediately, so you need to be able to distinguish between bites.

Non-venomous snakes

The bite of non-venomous individuals is not particularly dangerous. Many small teeth can be seen in the mouth. As a rule, they do not attack humans, but live peacefully nearby. However, if you really insist on meeting a snake, you can see its bite. It has tooth marks in 2–4 rows. The edge looks like it's torn. Sometimes droplets of blood appear.

Already is a non-venomous snake

The maximum threat from a meeting is the introduction of bacteria, infection, and inflammatory process.

Poisonous snakes

If a person is bitten by a poisonous snake, holes will be visible in the bitten area. There are 2 of them, but sometimes there is 1. The tissue around the resulting wound swells after half an hour. The person bitten experiences pain. Fever is accompanied by headache.

Snakebite

If contact with a snake has not been noticed, then knowledge of the characteristics of a snake bite and the intoxication process makes it possible to consider medical assistance.

Symptoms of a snake bite

If a poisonous snake has bitten, the wounded surface is characterized by 2 distinct points. There is pain and burning in the affected area. After 30 minutes, swelling and cyanosis of the affected skin area develops.

The victim's condition is characterized by the following symptoms:

nausea;
dizziness;
sudden loss of strength and body temperature;
feeling drowsy.

Some may react particularly strongly. This is characterized by loss of consciousness, as well as renal failure.

Symptoms after cobra are slightly different. They are characterized by severe burning pain, but it is not accompanied by a change in skin color. You may notice a slight swelling, and ichor comes out from the holes from the teeth. After some time, the bitten part of the body becomes paralyzed. The active ingredient is a neurotoxin. It affects the muscle tissue of the face and nerve endings. The eyelids and jaw droop, the victim’s eyes also dart chaotically, and squint is observed. Contact with a cobra is dangerous. Immediate emergency assistance for a bite is required.

Important: If first aid is not provided, death is possible within 8 hours.

What to do if you are bitten by a poisonous snake

The first thing that happens to a person after a meeting is that he succumbs to panic. You can spend a maximum of 1 minute on this, but then it is important to gather your thoughts and concentrate. The situation requires clear, coordinated actions.

Sequencing

The algorithm of actions when providing assistance to the victim looks like this:

If the bite is noticed immediately, the poisonous saliva must be sucked out. The skin should be pinched, forming a fold. Don't forget to rinse your mouth constantly. This event is effective in the first five minutes. After the specified period of time, it penetrates through the blood into all internal organs, causing severe intoxication. If you are afraid for your own health, then you can use a pear. However, this method is not always convenient and effective. In addition, the risk of exposure to poison is minimized, even if there is a violation of the integrity of the mucous membrane in the mouth.
The victim should not panic and not make unnecessary movements. It is best to immobilize by applying a splint. This method will slightly slow down the intoxication.
Provide plenty of drinking water. This will help reduce the overall concentration of toxic substances. If there is, then you need to take antihistamines and ascorbic acid. You should not abuse medications. This will worsen an already difficult situation.
Refer the person bitten to the emergency room. Professional treatment will save the life of the victim.

Administration of antidote

The medical facility will administer the antidote. The optimal time is 2 hours. However, the serum can be administered during the first day after a snake bite, followed by repetition.

Serum "ANTIGYURZA"

The drug prevents the development of anaphylactic shock. Its administration must be strictly monitored by doctors and administered according to a strictly defined scheme.

The antidote is injected under the skin in the area under the shoulder blade. The scheme is as follows: the first stage is the injection of 0.1 ml, then after 15 minutes 0.25 ml is injected. If the patient feels well and does not show signs of anaphylactic shock, then the remaining medicine is administered to him.

The volume of the drug is determined depending on the severity of poisoning:

mild degree requires administration of 1000 IU;
average degree - 2000 IU;
for severe cases, 3000 IU will be required.

Serum "ATICOBRA"

The vaccine is used when exposed to a cobra. Its administration should also be monitored by doctors. The scheme is much simpler: the antidote is contained in a 300 ml ampoule. It is administered intravenously. At the same time, Prozerin or Atropine sulfate is infused.

Preventing snake bites

It is difficult to determine clear guidelines for preventing a venomous bite. Representatives common in Russia do not attack humans first. People are not part of their diet. In addition, the production of poison is a long, tedious process. However, when meeting, it is recommended to follow a number of rules that minimize the risk of being bitten:

sharp sounds, movements, an attempt to protect herself from a snake with a stick frighten her. Such actions will provoke an aggressive response;
some recommend freezing for a while;
Snakes tend to concentrate in a certain area. They can coexist quite peacefully with a person if he, in turn, does not pose a threat to them. While in such an area, carefully look at the ground and stones. Stepping on a snake's tail or lightly touching it can make it very angry;
When moving through unfamiliar terrain with dense vegetation, it is recommended to first push the grass with a stick and then step on it.

The most important factor for prevention is protecting potentially dangerous areas of the body. It is recommended to wear rubber boots or shoes on your feet. It is also advisable to wear long sleeves and trousers.

Traditional medicine

If you have been attacked by a snake, but are far from civilization or a hospital, then alternative medicine methods will come to the rescue. Folk methods have been developed over the years. Despite the fact that they are less effective than certified drugs, they can save a person.

It is recommended to moisten a cotton pad in an ammonia solution and apply it to the wound. The bandage must be changed at least 3 times a day. A solution of dry or freshly picked veronica herb would be a good compress. A cotton swab is also moistened and applied to the bite area. A tripartite string, ground to a mushy state, can replace the painkiller. It can be alternated with a compress of nettle leaves ground with honey.

Southern nosed viper. This is probably the most dangerous snake in Europe.

Drinking plenty of fluids in combination with St. John's wort tea, which has a diuretic effect, will reduce the concentration of toxic substances.

Unacceptable assistance for poisonous snake bites

To minimize the risks of the consequences of the meeting, you should know what not to do:

It is strictly forbidden to give the victim alcohol. It significantly accelerates blood flow through the body, promoting infection of all internal organs;
for the same reason, active movements should not be allowed. A snake bite to the leg is no exception;
When bitten by a snake, you should not make cuts to suck out the venom. There is a risk of infection in an organism weakened by poison;
the affected area should not be cauterized;
heating to relieve swelling or remove poison is also strictly prohibited.

Ignoring these points inevitably leads to disastrous consequences.

Medical assistance

The main help of doctors is symptomatic treatment and vaccination. Help is provided in trauma centers. Hospitalization may be required if complications may develop. The severity of the reaction depends on gender and age characteristics, the characteristics of the snake, and the duration of contact with the skin.

Even after a non-poisonous individual, a child may be recommended to be placed in a hospital to monitor the inflammatory process and prevent the development of a negative reaction. Try to remember all the details of the contact, first aid procedures, and time.

Characteristics of bites from poisonous snakes in our latitudes

14 species have been registered in Russia. They belong to the families of colubrids, vipers and asps. Representatives of the first class can bite in case of extreme danger and are not dangerous to humans. The only possible reaction of the body is suppuration. These are snakes, copperheads, snakes. Representatives of the following 2 families are poisonous.

Viper family

The most common species are the steppe viper, the common viper, the common (Pallas) copperhead, efa, and viper.

The bite destroys the circulatory system. Blood clots form in the body, which disrupt cardiac and renal activity, as well as water and mineral balance.

Aspidae

In Russia, the aspid family is represented by cobras.

When a snake bites, the reflex function of the body's muscles is disrupted. Complicates the situation of the development of paralysis and paresis. Heart failure occurs and normal blood circulation is disrupted.