Spiders are around us all the time, however they will rarely attack. Spiders will mostly bite in self defense, when threatened. Even when bitten by a spider, take comfort in that very few are seriously venomous.
Try to get a good look at the spider that bites you so you know what you are dealing with. Spider bites will result in a raised area and occurs in a circle with a visible pinpoint bite mark in the middle.
Spider Venom
Venom from spider bites is either a neurotoxin that attacks the nervous system, or a necrotic that attacks the tissues or organs surrounding the bite. Spider venom travels through the body in minutes.
Black Widow – One of the most venomous spiders is The Black Widow. Its venom contains latrotoxins, which cause the victim’s muscles to contract. This contraction may cause airwaves to block, leading to death. It is a small spider, making it difficult to detect.
Banana Spider – The Banana Spider, also known as the Brazilian Wandering Spider is highly neuro-toxic. Its serotonin toxin causes its victim a lot of pain. It also possesses an advantage in that it is very swift and aggressive.
Funnel Web Spider – The Australian Funnel-web Spider is one of the most toxic spiders in the world. It causes excessive neural activity which inhibits normal body functions. This spider is more dangerous than The Black Widow Spider as it has longer fangs that penetrate deeper and release more venom.
Common Spider Bite Symptoms
Victims of spider bites may experience mild symptoms such as redness, itchiness, a burning sensation, nausea, fever, rashes, muscle and joint pain. More severe symptoms include shortness of breath, vomiting, wheezing, sweating, migraine-like headaches, stomach and leg cramps and general body fatigue. In rare cases, swelling of the body may occur.
Home Remedies for Spider Bites
- Use soap and water to clean the area.
- You may form a paste using baking soda and water. This neutralizes the venom and helps to speed up the healing process.
- Aspirin is another venom neutralizer. Mix it in water and apply the paste onto the bite.
- Suppress the swelling using ice cube.
- Use a pain killer to reduce pain.
- To prevent infection, apply an antibiotic ointment two to three times a day.
- If there is itching, use an anti-histamine to bring down the allergic reaction.
When to See a Doctor
- In some cases, spider bites may call for the immediate intervention of a doctor.
- If the symptoms do not go away in a few days.
- If you notice a discharge from the bite.
- If you are able to identify spiders and are sure that the bite came from a highly venomous spider like the Brown Recluse or the Black Widow. Where possible, bring along the spider to the doctor. This helps in toxin analysis.
- If within a few minutes of the bite, the victim starts exhibiting symptoms such as muscle cramps, muscle spasms, loss of sensation or tingling, headache, dizziness, vomiting, or trouble swallowing and breathing.
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