Black Widow Spider Bite

Black widow spider bite recognition

A black widow spider bite can remain undetected for up to 30-40 minutes. Some people report feeling a short, stabbing pain from the bite, but many others did not feel the bite at all. Sometimes you can see two small red spots where the fangs penetrated the skin, but you can have received a black widow spider bite even if you can not detect any puncture marks.

Within 30-40 minutes, a strong pain will have developed around the bitten area. Swelling is also common. The venom will spread to other parts of the body via the bloodstream, and you might for instance develop a back ache and/or feel pain, cramping and rigidity in your abdominal muscles.

Is a black widow spider bite dangerous?

A black widow spider bite should always prompt immediate medical attention, even if you are not 100% sure that it was a black widow spider that bit you. Most healthy adults will survive a black widow spider bite without suffering from any long term effects, but pain and other symptoms can carry on for several days without treatment. Underlying health problems will increase the risk of long term effects, and 63 deaths from black widow spider bite were reported in the United States between 1950 and 1989.

Since it is impossible to tell beforehand how a person will react to a black widow spider bite, you should always seek medical attention. In addition to underlying health problems, the severity of the black widow spider bite will also be affected by your sensitivity to black widow venom, how much venom that was distributed to you, and which body part that got bitten.

Black widow spider bite first aid

As mentioned above, you should always contact a hospital, poison control centre or similar if you suspect a black widow spider bite. It is important that you stay calm, since running around in panic will cause the venom to spread faster. If possible, carefully wash the bitten skin with water and soap, and place an ice pack on it to reduce swelling and pain. The bitten body part should be kept elevated.

If possible, get someone nearby to help you and stay with you until you receive medical attention, since you may develop severe pain, tremors, fever, laboured breathing, and increased blood pressure. Feeling queasy and restless is also common.

If possible, get someone to catch the spider. If the doctor can see the spider, it will be easier for him or her to select the proper treatment for you since different spider species produce different venoms. Do not run around trying to catch the spider yourself; you must stay calm.

Treatment for a black widow spider bite

In most situations, the doctor will choose to treat the symptoms of a black widow spider bite by administrating muscle relaxants and pain relievers. One example of a commonly used medication is calcium gluconate. If you have other health problems, such as hearth condition, you may also get a dose of black widow spider bite antivenin. Antivenin can also be used when muscle relaxants and pain relievers are not effective enough.

Black widow spider bite

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