What to do if a spider has bitten: first aid to the victim

These representatives of the arthropod squad can attack an adult and a child, both in the house and in the open. The bites of many spiders will not cause significant harm to a person - a slight redness on the skin will disappear during the day. But after the attack karakurt or a hermit can develop a severe allergic reaction, laryngeal edema, and respiratory arrest. It depends on the type of arthropod what to do if a spider has bitten, what first aid to give a person. Even in the absence of symptoms, the victim should be quickly taken to the nearest hospital facility.

The effect of poison on the human body

Damage to human health depends on the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the poison secreted by spiders during bites. The larger the specimen, the greater the danger it poses to humans. Small arthropods are often simply not able to bite through the skin or produce the amount of poison that could harm an adult or baby. But such a statement is true only for representatives of one species. Tarantulas are larger than karakurt, but their bites do not cause significant harm to humans. But after the attack of a hermit spider, a fatal outcome is quite possible. Depending on the action of toxic compounds, scientists distinguish two types of poison:

• neurotoxic, affecting the central and peripheral nervous system;
• hemolytic, destroying red blood cells after penetration into the bloodstream.

Karakurt and the brown hermit spider are the most dangerous types of arthropods that live in our country. And tourists and experienced travelers can be the victims of attacks by other arthropods anywhere in the world.

Symptomatology

The bites of many, even extremely dangerous spiders, are completely painless. A person who perceives a slight swelling or redness as a scratch and takes no action. And the symptoms of general intoxication that developed over the course of several hours are very similar to the signs of any bacterial or viral infection. Such a clinical picture of joint bites can be misleading not only the victim, but also the diagnostic doctors.

This is interesting: Almost all spiders are predators. Having lured the victim with a brilliant cobweb, they inject poison with a paralyzing effect into it. And when attacking a person, spiders use this method only to protect their own lives.

There are several indirect signs that help a person distinguish a scratch or small wound from a spider bite. After an arthropod attack, the following symptoms occur:

• the bite area gradually swells, and in some cases a pink or red erythema is formed, similar to a thin ring;
• after a few minutes or hours, pain in the limbs occurs, tremors or seizures are possible;
• edema of various localization develops: at the site of the bite, upper half of the trunk or face;
• palpitations, lack of air;
• blood pressure can increase, and then decrease to values ​​that are dangerous to human life.

If the victim has a predisposition to the development of allergic reactions, then large or small red spots form on the skin. They are very itchy and spread rapidly throughout the body. Such symptoms of a spider bite can vary significantly depending on the species of the joint.

Karakurt bite

The bite of a karakurt, or “black widow,” is very dangerous for humans. If medical care is not provided, it is very likely to cause death. A person does not feel pain during a bite of a karakurt, which makes it difficult to determine the type of arthropod. The action of the poison manifests itself within a few hours. In children or people with poor health, this period of time is significantly reduced. What symptoms occur after a bite of a karakurt:

• sharp pain in damaged tissues after 1-3 hours, a feeling of "goosebumps", redness of the upper layer of the epidermis;
• increased nervous irritability;
• profuse sweating;
• headaches;
• dizziness, inability to stay upright for a long time;
• arterial hypertension;
• the release of a large amount of saliva;
• painful cramps in the epigastric region.

The severity of symptoms is directly dependent on the resistance of the body of an adult or child to the action of the poison. Signs of intoxication persist for several days.

Warning: If qualified medical assistance has not been provided to the victim, then for six months after the bite of a karakurt he will suffer from convulsions and neurological disorders.

Tarantula bite

Many people are mistaken in considering the bite of a tarantula deadly. Undoubtedly, it can cause serious harm to human health, but death is extremely rare. The cause of death is not arthropod venom, but an allergic reaction that develops on its penetration into the body:

• anaphylactic shock;
• Quincke's edema.

In such cases, a fatal outcome occurs quickly if first aid is not provided to the injured or lack of antidote drugs. A tarantula bite causes severe pain. Within a few minutes, extensive swelling develops on the damaged area of ​​the skin, numerous redness resembling a rash occurs. A person’s arms and legs begin to twitch, blood pressure drops, and dizziness. A characteristic symptom of a tarantula bite is numbness of the limbs.

Hermit Spider Bite

Despite the fact that this type of arthropod does not differ in large size, its bite is deadly even for a strong healthy man. A hermit spider pierces the skin in such a way that a person does not experience the slightest discomfort. The poison enters the systemic circulation and gradually spreads throughout the body. What does a spider bite look like:

• the bite site swells;
• the size of the swelling is rapidly increasing;
• large ulcers form.

If this area of ​​the skin is not treated with antiseptic agents, then after a while the soft tissues begin to ulcerate and die. The clinical picture of intoxication is similar to signs of a respiratory infection:

• aches in bones and joints;
• temperature rise;
• decreased functional activity of the cardiovascular system.

The victim disrupts the functioning of the urinary organs and significantly slows down the metabolism. The heart rate is reduced, there are difficulties with breathing. If at this stage of intoxication the person was not provided with medical care, then he may die.

Cross sting

The poison of this spider is hemolytic. After penetration into the bloodstream under the action of the toxin, red blood cells begin to break down. Since they are responsible for the transfer of molecular oxygen, its deficiency negatively affects the functioning of all human life systems.

It is interesting: Cross spiders common in our country. They attack a person only for the purpose of protection, but can do it in the most unexpected places, for example, in an apartment of a multi-storey building. The characteristic pattern on the body of the joint helps to quickly determine its species, which speeds up the diagnosis and selection of the antidote.

Even a large adult cross-breeding creature cannot produce the amount of poison that can cause death. But the bite of a spider gives a person a lot of uncomfortable sensations:

• aching joints, twitching of limbs;
• pain, burning, skin itching in the bite area;
• arterial hypotension, dizziness;
• weakness, apathy, fatigue.

If the victim was not taken to the hospital for detoxification therapy, then the poison will be removed from the body along with feces and urine after 24 hours. For several days, swelling and swelling at the site of the bite will remain.

Home spider bite

In our country, there are several dozen species of arthropods that live in private houses and apartments of high-rise buildings, and they are all quite harmless. It is difficult to imagine a situation where a domestic spider attacks a person. Such a bite, as a rule, does not cause serious harm to the victim. Pain arising from skin damage is weak, do not require any pharmacological preparations. A slight swelling disappears without a trace after a couple of days.

Consequences and Complications

The most serious consequences that develop after bites of any species of spiders include skin infections. The following pathologies are most often diagnosed:

• Arachnoz. After a bite, necrosis of all layers of the epidermis quickly develops. The inflammatory process also affects the subcutaneous tissue and nearby soft tissues located near the damaged area. Necrosis occurs against a background of fever, joint and bone pain, arterial hypotension, heart failure and hemolysis. If medical care is not provided, the probability of death is high;
• Loxoscelism. Infectious lesions of the skin and subcutaneous tissue develop as a result of a bite brown hermit spider. Necrosis is rapidly progressing and is characterized by the formation of large ulcers that are difficult to treat. The course of the pathology is complicated by numerous symptoms of general intoxication of the body.

Doctors classify the effects of a spider bite in adults and children as follows:

• mild: hyperemia of the skin, minor pain, swelling, burning sensation and itching;
• moderate: drowsiness, fatigue, tremor of the extremities, indigestion and peristalsis, pain at the site of a bite for several days;
• pronounced: sharp pains spreading throughout the body, cramps, dyspeptic disorders, urination disorders, a sharp decrease in blood pressure.

Strong intoxication with spider poisons occurs in the absence of medical intervention. If medical care is provided on time, then the well-being of the victim quickly improves.

Recommendation: A small child after a spider bite should be quickly taken to the nearest hospital facility to administer an antidote. Due to the high permeability of blood vessels in children, poison spreads very quickly in their body, affecting the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

First aid for bites

With bites by spiders of adults or children, severe intoxication of the body develops, so you need to quickly provide first aid to the victim. If a person managed to see the joint and determine its belonging to poisonous species, then medical intervention will be required. You should call the ambulance team, and only then try to alleviate the condition of the victim. The following measures will help prevent the spread of poison in the body:

• the bite area must be thoroughly rinsed under a stream of cool water using laundry soap;
• if the limb is damaged, it should be immobilized to prevent the penetration of poison into the subcutaneous tissue and healthy tissue sites;
• the bite site must be treated with solutions with antiseptic and antimicrobial activity - hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine bigluconate, iodine, brilliant green, ethyl alcohol, Miramistin, Furacilin;
• you can localize the toxin distribution zone by pulling your arm or leg (without disturbing blood circulation!) with an elastic bandage slightly above the bite area;
• apply a cold compress to the reddened area of ​​the skin in the form of pieces of ice wrapped in a dense fabric.

If there is a loss of consciousness, then assistance with a spider bite is to monitor the victim until the ambulance arrives. It is necessary to turn a person on his side and make sure that he does not choke on vomit.

Tip: It is necessary to give the victim a lot of fluid to accelerate the removal of poison from the body. As a plentiful drink, you can use chamomile tea, clean water, a decoction of rose hips, fruit compotes and berry fruit drinks.

In no case should you squeeze out poison from the wound. So you can provoke the rapid spread of poison to neighboring healthy tissues. This will cause necrosis or the rapid formation of purulent ulcerations.

Treatment

If the victim complains of pain in the head or limbs, you need to give him any pain medication that can be found in the home medicine cabinet. The most effective are the following pharmacological preparations:

• analgesics and antispasmodics - Baralgin, Spazmalgon, Maksigan, Spazgan, Analgin;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Nurofen, Nimesil, Nimesulide, Ibufen, Diclofenac;
• preparations with paracetamol - Panadol, Efferalgan.

Acetylsalicylic acid can be given only to the victim of a spider bite in the absence of other drugs. Do not exceed the dosage recommended in the instructions for use in the hope of speeding up recovery. You can consult with the dispatcher of the ambulance about the advisability of using certain medicines. He will answer all questions or contact the on-call toxicologist.

The victim must also be given any antihistamine drug from the following list:

• Zodak
• Suprastin;
• Claritin;
• Tavegil;
• Tsetrin;
• Diphenhydramine;
• Loratadine.

With a sharp increase in blood pressure, you can normalize the condition with antihypertensive drugs - Enap, Enalapril, Captopril, Indap, Indapamide. And when arterial hypotension occurs, you need to give a person a drink of strong coffee, green or black sweet tea. A doctor who arrives will examine the victim and hospitalize if necessary. In stationary conditions, detoxification therapy will be carried out using solutions for intravenous infusion. This will quickly remove the poison from the body, prevent serious consequences.