How do I treat a spider bite?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I think I got bit by a spider the other night - woke up in the AM with a large, puffy, sore and tender spot right on my nose with two little dots (fang marks?) in the middle. I'm guessing it's a spider bite of some sort although I never found the creator (maybe I swallowed it in my sleep, heh heh).

In some ways it's gotten better/more localized, but it hurts like a mutha' even after four days. There's still a really angry red bump there about the size of a peanut. Wondering if a trip to the doc is even worth it (can they do anything more than saying, "yep, something sure bit ya'"). Anything OTC that anyone can recommend? Hurts like hell and it's starting to get distracting to the point I can't focus on stuff.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Anything in your area poisonous? If so, you should have it looked at to be safe.

[Jeff Higgins]

Bite back.

[stealthn]

Sounds like a black widow..Try mixing up some salt in water and hold your nose in a glass for 15 minutes. Please include pictures...

[craigster59]

Jeff, you might want to be on the safe side and have it checked out. If it's a black widow or brown recluse bite, the tissue could become necrotic and require surgery and reconstruction. Better safe than sorry.

[Nostril Cheese]

what you can look forward to...

go to the doctor

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Holy schit. OK I'll head over there later. Damn, that's nasty.

I bet that dude gets all the chicks though.

[tcar]

Here you go; might even be able to figure out what bit you.

http://images.google.com/images?q=spider+bite&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&um=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=title

[sammyg2]

Iffn it's a black widow bite it should have gone away by now or at least started to go away. If it's from a brown recluse, get medical attention yesterday. Lots O'bad things can happen (like in that picture).

A few years ago a young woman got bit by one, she ended up loosing both arms and legs.
The flesh just dies and keeps rotting, getting bigger and bigger. Without the spider they may not be able to identify it but better safe than sorry.

[Scott R]

I was bit by a widow two months ago in my garage, I was sick for two days, received a shot of something at the urgent care place. Downside is that I still have a rather large area on my arm where you can see that I was bit, it's still fading, I hope.

[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.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Bite back.

Considering some of the things that Jeff posts, I bet that the spider died when he bit Jeff!

[M.D. Holloway]

I got bit by one the other day - right in the arm pit of all places. The Doc gave me a shot of steroids. It has cleared up.

If it happened a few days ago don't sweat it. If it was a Widow you would be sick as a muddafwaker, if it was a Recluse your face would have dissolved by now.

You sure it wasn't your ol lady?

[pwd72s]

By all means have it check out. But don't panic...very few spider bites are black widow or brown recluse. I get bitten by other spiders often. Next time you're in a drug store, buy a little green bottle of "campo-phenique". It was great for insect bites in my parent's time...and it still is. "For insect bites, scrapes, and minor burns"...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Hehe. She's already denied it.

Assuming the cat didn't already find the spider and eat it (he does that), I'm gonna find that 8-legged bastid tonight. That brown recluse is NASTY!

I don't think it was one of those though. Here's what WebMD says about brown recluse:

What are the symptoms?

Brown recluse spider bites don't always hurt right away. In fact, you may not know that you have been bitten until other symptoms appear. Symptoms of a brown recluse spider bite include:

* Reddened skin followed by a blister that forms at the bite site.
* Mild to intense pain and itching for 2 to 8 hours following the bite.
* An open sore with a breakdown of tissue (necrosis) that develops within a few hours to 3 to 4 days following the bite. This may take months to heal.

Some people have a severe, systemic (whole-body) reaction to brown recluse spider bites, including the rapid destruction of red blood cells and anemia (hemolytic anemia). Signs and symptoms include:

* Fever and chills.
* Skin rash all over the body with many tiny, flat purple and red spots.
* Nausea or vomiting.
* Joint pain.

So it probably would have split open by now if it was a brown recluse (the "half your face would be dissolved" thing isn't too far off). I suppose it could have been a wasp or a bee or something, but it looks/feels more spider like. I'll see what the doc says.

If it starts dissolving my face I'll post pics.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Scott R

I was bit by a widow two months ago in my garage, I was sick for two days, received a shot of something at the urgent care place. Downside is that I still have a rather large area on my arm where you can see that I was bit, it's still fading, I hope.

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?

[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

[Porsche-O-Phile]

They tend to like dark, kinda' quiet places I think. I've seen them (some fairly big ones) in handholes for shut-off valves and irrigation controls and places like that around here. They're bigger than you might think they are - can easily get about 2" across (including legs).

[Scott R]

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?

I didn't really know I had been bitten, however about an hour after the bite it started to itch like hell, then it started oozing a clear fluid, then I became sick to my stomach. After the shot from the clinic I was given some anti-nausea pills, and sent home. Next day, still some itching, which went to a dull throbbing, and a general overall uncomfortable feeling, hard to sleep due to the throbbing part.

About a week later it was healing, looked like a LARGE bug bite, just a very red large splotch on my bicep. It's been two months now, and I can still see some of the splotch in the mirror.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by Scott R

Next day, still some itching, which went to a dull throbbing, and a general overall uncomfortable feeling, hard to sleep due to the throbbing part.

From this description, I was able to identify the spider that bit you:

(for what it's worth, her pic is entitled "spider woman")