How do I treat a spider bite?

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

From this description, I was able to identify the spider that bit you:
(for what it's worth, her pic is entitled "spider woman")

Thanks, I just threw up in my mouth a little.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

LOL, i was out in the garage last night and saw a fairly large black widow in the corner. Turns out, they don't like getting sprayed with liquid wrench. Go figure

Liquid wrench???? This is pelican, damnit! Use PB BLASTER!

[rouxroux]

Brown recluse = visit to the hyperbaric chamber, for sure! (just being proactive).

[JavaBrewer]

Apparently black widow bites can vary. My neighbor was moving his garbage can and got bit on a finger. He was in the hospital for 2 days (sent home then went back) and said he was in agonizing pain for over a week. All his muscles locked up, major cramps, and very sick. He says next time he'll cut off the bitten finger before going through that again...

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by dmoolenaar

Apparently black widow bites can vary. My neighbor was moving his garbage can and got bit on a finger. He was in the hospital for 2 days (sent home then went back) and said he was in agonizing pain for over a week. All his muscles locked up, major cramps, and very sick. He says next time he'll cut off the bitten finger before going through that again...

I heard that from the doc as well, guess it's real dangerous in children.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by livi

Unless there is a specific antidote, the general treatment would involve anti inflammatory medication (basically cortison systemically or topically) together with antibiotics as needed. Often the inflammation have a part of histamin release too which make an anti histamin a nice complement (common allergy medicin like loratadin, cetirizin etc). Cortison and antibiotics (if needed) is the most important though if there is no specific treatment.

what Markus said, if it is good for scandinavian kids, it is good for you too.

Not a lot of brown recluse spiders in Cali.


I like using Koch-Mason type dressings for spider bites. Essentially a warm, moist compress. You put warm(not hot)moist cloth over area, cover with dry towel, then whole thing covered with saran wrap(yes, the stuff in the kitchen) This uses your own body heat to elevate the temps in the affected area, which bacteria do not dig too much. Oops, won't be to handy on your nozzle. No anti-venom for spider bites of which I am aware, that is more for snakes.

You will be getting antibiotics, anti inflammatories(perhaps steroids). Be glad it was not a copperhead snake, or worse, a coral snake or timber rattler.

[TerryBPP]

I'm guessing after it bit you it crawled up your nostril into your brain and is now laying eggs.

Can you feel that itch inside your skull?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I noticed a strange ability to climb walls and this odd "sixth sense" about impending danger. My reflexes have sharpened considerably too. I wonder what that's all about.

[tcar]

I would see someone. Don't mess w/ a bite on your nose. Seriously. There's only a bit of tissue between your nose and brain. Seriously.

Did I say seriously?

[Moneyguy1]

Living alone has its drawbacks. I got multiple bites betwen my shoulderblades. Burned and itched like a son of a gun. Daughter washed them out with peroxide, put on A&D ointment and a covering. That was about 6 weeks ago and the wounds are still visible (but I have never seen them because of where they are).

I suppose I was just lucky.

[FrayAdjacent911]

That pictured nasty-a$$ bite on the thumb was from a Brown Recluse.

Fun part is, I've seen about half a dozen in my apartment, from very very small, to mature.

[craigster59]

In the meantime Jeff, you might want to pick up a pair of these to avoid those odd glances at your swollen nose ....

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Liquid wrench???? This is pelican, damnit! Use PB BLASTER!

LOL I save the kroil for the real work, liquid wrench is for spiders and neighbors who like to borrow stuff

[kqw]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

This is a huge phobia of mine and I'm soon moving to AZ. What kind of sick did you feel and how bad was it? Did you know right away you had been bitten?

Having lived in Arizona, you will encounter critters, snakes, bugs that you can ride, lizards, mice, spiders... including the Black widow and other crawlies that I couldn't name. Keep your garage clutter free and never reach into dark corners unless you can see what you're reaching for.

I suggest that you have a reputable exterminator come out every month and spray in and around the home. After I did that, I never had a problem.

[Aerkuld]

Related, but not quite as nasty, here's the little sod I caught running across my floor the other night. It's living in that jam jar at the moment and had eaten all the spiders I put in there.



It's probably an inch long overall.

[Rick Lee]

When I lived in TX I got stung in my armpit by a scorpion. Hurt like a hot poker, but was fine after about 30 min. We had lots of snakes and critters. That stuff never bothered me. But I've never seen a Black Widow up close. They scare the hell out of me. Snakes don't bother me in the least.

[Aerkuld]

It's only the female Black Widow that's dangerous as it's the only one that has venom. The male will bite but it has no effect IIRC.

About par for the course.

[911boost]

Your bite is going to look like a big zit, and lots, I mean lots, o baby spiders are going to crawl out of it while you look in the mirror in the near future.

Ugggh, god, the thought of spiders crawling on me during the middle of the night freaks the sheat out of me.

Good luck.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Yea kind of looking like a big zit. Sorta'. Meeting with the doc in the AM. We'll see what he says.

The part about baby spiders bursting out of my lump is a visual I probably could have done without however. . .

[911boost]

hahahah, I am trying to remember what movie that came from. Had some vodoo stuff in it.