While they can be painful or itchy, most spider bites are not serious and can be easily treated at home. This article describes how to treat the different bites and will give you more details on the four spiders found around the world whose bites require urgent intervention.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Non-Dangerous Spider Bites
Step 1. Identify the spider
Most of the stings come from non-dangerous spiders; in fact, most of the time they are confused with insect bites that can be treated easily. However, if you fear that you have been attacked by a poisonous specimen, read the various sections illustrated below to confirm the type of spider that stung you and properly manage the first aid intervention. It is not always possible to identify the arachnid, but it may be useful for the doctor to know at least which species it is, in order to establish the specific treatment for the circumstance.
- If you can, try to keep the specimen, even if you have crushed it. You can use alcohol to preserve it.
- If you can't find the spider, then go straight to cleaning and examining the lesion.
Step 2. Wash the affected area with cold water and soap
This allows you to clean the wound and avoid possible infections.
Step 3. Apply a cold pack, such as an ice pack
This will relieve the pain caused by the sting and reduce swelling.
Step 4. Raise the tip affected by the spider above the level of the heart
This is helpful in reducing inflammation and swelling.
Step 5. Relieve minor pain symptoms with aspirin or acetaminophen
Keep in mind that children or adolescents who are recovering from chickenpox or who have flu-like symptoms should not take aspirin.
Step 6. Monitor the sting for the next 24 hours to make sure your symptoms don't get worse
Within a few days, the swelling should subside and the wound area should be less painful. Contact your poison control center or see a doctor if your symptoms don't go away.
Step 7. Know when to see your doctor
In some cases, a spider bite, which is generally not dangerous, can actually cause an infection or an allergic reaction. Call emergency medical services immediately if the victim experiences the following symptoms:
- Respiratory difficulties.
- Nausea.
- Muscle spasms.
- Skin lesions.
- Stiffening of the throat which makes it difficult to swallow.
- Profuse sweating.
- Feeling faint.
Method 2 of 4: Black Widow or Violin Spider Stings
Step 1. Identify the spider
The Mediterranean black widow (also called malmignatta) and the violin spider (also known as the brown hermit spider) are the main poisonous and dangerous spiders present in Italy. Both species love warm climates and prefer dark, dry environments, such as cabinets and crevices in wooden posts. Here's what you need to look for:
- The Mediterranean Black Widow it is a large spider with a glossy black color, and has various red dots on its belly. It is found in almost all of the Italian territory. The sting feels as if you have been injured by a pin and the site becomes slightly red and swollen. Within thirty minutes and up to a few hours, however, intense pain and stiffness begins to occur in the affected area. Severe abdominal pain, nausea, fever, or chills may also develop. This sting is generally not fatal to healthy adults, and there is an antidote to be injected to relieve symptoms.
- The violin spider it can be many different shades of brown, but it has a clear mark on its back in the shape of a violin and the legs are long and tapered. His sting does not initially appear particularly dangerous, but over the next eight hours it turns into intense pain. A fluid-filled blister appears which becomes an ever larger open sore, and permanent tissue damage is preceded by a red and blue "target" mark around the wound area. Other symptoms include fever, rash, and nausea. The stings of this spider can leave scars, but the deaths recorded are very few. There is no antidote to violin spider venom, but injuries caused by the spider can be treated with surgery and antibiotics.
Step 2. Go to the emergency room immediately
You need prompt medical attention, but you still have to move slowly so as not to accelerate the spread of the poison in the body.
Step 3. Cleanse the wound thoroughly
This way you remove the danger of infections.
Step 4. Apply ice
Doing so decreases the rate of spread of the poison and reduces swelling.
Step 5. Slows down the spread of poison in the body
If you have been stung in the arm or leg, lift the limb and wrap a tight bandage upstream of the injury. Be very careful not to impede blood circulation!
Method 3 of 4: Burrow Spider Bites
Step 1. Locate the spider
It is an aggressive specimen that has several names; the scientific one is "Atrax robustus", but it is also called burrow spider or Sydney funnel web spider, since it was quite common in that city in the past. Nowadays it is possible to notice that the territory of this spider has slowly expanded, given the urbanization of its place of origin. It resembles a glossy tarantula, the back of the body is quite large and lives mainly in Australian humid environments. "His sting requires immediate and prompt medical attention, because the symptoms of poisoning progress very quickly." At first, the sting - very painful given the size of its quills - shows itself as a small inflammation or blister; then the victim begins to sweat profusely, to show facial muscle contractures and may feel tingling around the mouth. The antidote is available and should be administered in the hospital as soon as possible.
Step 2. Call the emergency services
The venom of the Atrax robustus is particularly dangerous for humans due to the presence of robustotoxin in its venom, a component (so named in its honor) which is very effective on the human nervous system.
Step 3. Block the affected end with a splint and wrap it gently
Use an elastic bandage or bandage to slow the spread of the poison.
Step 4. Immobilize the victim
It is very important to prevent the poison from rapidly entering the circulation on the way to the emergency room.
Method 4 of 4: Brazil Wandering Spider Bites
Step 1. Identify the arachnid
This genus of spider is large, aggressive, and nocturnal. It lives in South America and does not weave any webs, it roams at night and it is possible to find it in the bunches of bananas or hiding in dark environments. Its sting produces a localized edema and the pain radiates towards the trunk accompanied by nausea, vomiting, hypertension, breathing difficulties and, in males, erection. There is an antidote to relieve symptoms, but keep in mind that death is rare.
Step 2. See your doctor immediately
It is essential to undergo appropriate treatment, especially if the victim is a child.
Step 3. Wash the wound with warm water to avoid infection
Step 4. Apply a warm compress to the wound site
In this way you increase blood flow and reduce blood pressure.
Step 5. Slow down the spread of the poison
Raise the affected extremity above the level of the heart and minimize movement to slow down the spread of toxins.
Advice
- If you want to chase away the spiders that you find on your skin, hit them with a lateral movement and do not crush them, otherwise the spikes will go even deeper.
- Clean your home often; most spiders prefer dark, undisturbed places.
- Shake the clothes and shoes you left on the floor or in the closet before putting them on.
- Wear gloves and tuck the hem of your pants into your socks when you work in the basement, outdoors or in places frequented by spiders.
- Move the beds away from the corners of the room and from the walls to prevent spiders from hiding in the sheets.
- Properly insulate the house to prevent spiders from entering it.
- Apply insect repellent that contains DEET (diethyltoluamide) to keep spiders at bay.
