Most spider bites are harmless. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish it from other insect bites or even a mild skin infection. You should always seek medical attention if you are unsure of the cause of a severe bite or sting, especially if you start experiencing symptoms. The two most common venomous spiders are the black widow and the brown hermit spider (or violin spider). If you know you've been bitten by the black widow, you need to go to the emergency room right away.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Identifying a Black Widow's Bite
Step 1. Recognize this spider's bite
The black widow has fangs and when she bites two small puncture wounds are usually clearly seen.
- As the venom begins to spread, the skin takes on a target-like appearance. The fang marks are located in the center and are surrounded by an area of red skin; you should then notice another red circle forming just beyond the central one.
- Fang marks are visible right away, while redness and swelling of the bite-affected area develops rapidly, usually within an hour.
- The pain usually begins within an hour and can quickly spread to other areas of the body, such as the abdomen, chest, or back.
- This is not always the case, but this is the classic description of the typical pattern of a black widow bite.
Step 2. Catch the spider if you can
Your doctor will want to know the cause of your injury / sting / bite. Safety is always the priority aspect; if you can catch the insect without compromising your safety, put it in a container from which it cannot bite other people. A small glass jar or a plastic container with a lid, placed inside another container with a secure closure and easy to manage, such as a small cooler bag, may be useful to transport the spider easily.
- Obviously, no one should risk being bitten. Catch the spider and place it in the container to take it to the emergency room, but only if it is safe to do so.
- Showing the spider that bit you can help you set up the most effective treatments in the shortest time possible. If it becomes difficult to carry the spider with you, at least try to take some sharp photographs of the insect (in case you can do it safely).
Step 3. Recognize the symptoms
Most people who get bitten by a spider, including poisonous ones like the black widow, don't have serious consequences.
- Symptoms you may notice are severe pain, stiffness, muscle and abdominal cramps, back pain, excessive sweating, and high blood pressure.
- Both topical and systemic reactions to black widow venom can develop and spread rapidly. You need to go to the emergency room as soon as possible if you are certain, or just fear, that you have been bitten by this spider.
- Among the topical reactions you can find itching or rash on the affected site, sweating of the extremity corresponding to the bite, changes in the color of the skin on which blisters form.
- Systemic reactions are: severe and intense muscle pain, pain radiating to the back and chest, sweating, difficulty in breathing, headache, nausea and vomiting, fever and chills, hypertension, anxiety, agitation and delirium.
Part 2 of 3: Treating the Black Widow's Bite
Step 1. Proceed to first aid treatment
The first thing to do is to stay calm and locate the spider responsible for the bite.
- Wash the affected area with mild soap, water, and apply an ice pack or cold washcloth to try to avoid swelling.
- Do not apply ice directly to the skin. Place a clean, soft towel or cloth between your skin and the ice pack or cold pack.
- Elevate the area of the body that has been bitten, if possible and practicable.
- Take over-the-counter medications to manage pain and / or inflammation, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin. Follow the instructions on the leaflet for the dosage.
Step 2. Seek medical attention
According to data reported by poison centers, more than 2,500 black widow bite incidents occur each year in the United States alone. Go to the emergency room or an emergency center immediately.
- You can call your primary care physician and inform him of the situation. He will be able to tell you to go to his clinic immediately or direct you to the most suitable hospital to go to. Regardless of where you decide to get treatment, let the hospital know that you are about to arrive and that you have been bitten by a black widow; this way, the medical staff will have time to prepare.
- Don't try to drive to the hospital. The poison injected into the body can abruptly alter the ability to react. You may feel lucid when you start driving, but that could change very quickly.
- Most people do not have severe reactions from the bite of this insect; in fact, some people have no problems at all and require no medical attention.
- Since there is still a risk of severe pain, discomfort and systemic changes, you should see your doctor as soon as possible or go to the emergency room to make sure you receive timely and appropriate treatment if you start to develop adverse effects. and complications.
- As soon as you arrive at the doctor's office, inform the staff of any medications or treatments you have used so far.
- Fortunately, the cases of death are very few, when compared to the number of accidents.
- There have been cases of serious complications or death especially in people who had already severely compromised health.
Step 3. Get the antidote for Latrodectus Mactans (black widow)
This serum has been available since 1920 and is often needed to avoid the risk of complications. Cases of hypersensitivity to the antidote itself have been reported in some countries and it is not always used.
- Complications may arise from the bite. The medical center will be able to monitor your vital signs and any changes in your physical condition, to define the necessary treatment.
- An American article published in 2011 looked at four cases of black widow bites. Three patients were given the antidote, while the fourth was not possible due to fear of hypersensitivity.
- Patients who received the serum experienced severe pain relief within a short period of time, usually half an hour after injection. They were kept under observation for a few hours in the emergency room and then discharged without further complications.
- The person who did not receive the antidote was treated with strong pain relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs in the emergency room, but then hospitalization was required.
- He was under medical treatment for two days and by the third day he started to feel better. He was discharged on the third day and had no further complications.
Part 3 of 3: Recognizing the Black Widow
Step 1. Recognize the spider without disturbing it
The physical feature that clearly distinguishes the female black widow is a bright red hourglass mark on the lower abdomen.
- The female has a shiny, black body, with a large, round abdomen. The body is about 4 cm long, while the whole spider, including the legs, has a width greater than 2, 5 cm.
- Its fangs are a bit shorter than those of other spiders, but enough to be able to penetrate human skin.
- The most dangerous black widow (Latrodectus mactans) is found mostly in the western and southern regions of the United States. Other sources and research have found frequent sightings as far west as California, all along the east coast, south to Florida, as far north as British Columbia and central Alberta in Canada. Fortunately, in Italy there is mainly the Mediterranean black widow (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus), always poisonous, but less dangerous.
Step 2. Identify the places where these spiders prefer to live
Generally, they love outdoor places, where they find many flies that they feed on; however, they can also settle inside structures and shelters.
- They prefer quiet places, where they are not disturbed, such as piles of wood, under the faux rock coverings of wells, in house gutters, around fences and in other areas where there are piles of debris.
- Look for the black widow in dark, damp, and isolated places, such as meter housings, under porches, under patio furniture, in and around barns and sheds.
Step 3. Try not to disturb the web
This arachnid likes to build its web between solid and stable objects. Some spiders prefer instead to weave it between more flexible elements, such as shrubs and tree branches.
- The black widow deliberately weaves its own webs with an irregular shape, unlike those typical of other spiders, which are practically perfect. The fibers of this web of theirs are more resistant than those built by other arachnids.
- The black widow does not hunt on human skin; most bites occur when the insect is disturbed.
- She is not aggressive, but she bites when she feels trapped or touched.
Step 4. Recognize the difference between male and female specimens
Females have the classic hallmark and their venom is more powerful. If you are bitten by the female, you need immediate medical attention.
- The female's body is usually larger than that of the male; however, the legs of the latter are often longer and this feature can make the male appear larger in general.
- The male may also be black, but it is usually brown in color and its hallmark can be anywhere on the abdomen. Red remains the typical color, although some specimens display white or brown markings.
- The female has the typical sign of the red hourglass, although in some specimens it has a more orange color.
- The female has fangs long enough to penetrate human skin and spread enough venom to cause a systemic reaction.
- The male is unable to spread the venom when he bites.
- The name of this arachnid derives from the tendency of the female to eat the male after mating. It is not a circumstance that always occurs, but it is possible.
