What to Do If You’ve Been Bitten by a Spider
According to the CDC, most household spiders are not aggressive. A spider bite is considered to be uncommon and will only occur if a spider has been threatened or touched unintentionally.
Nonetheless, it’s critical to protect your family’s health by recognizing venomous spiders that could be found indoors in the US, like:
- Brown recluse spiders
- Black widow spiders
- Hobo spiders
Characteristics of a Spider Bite
The good news is that a spider bite is probably benign, depending on where you live in the country. Still, it’s important to consult with a medical professional right away to determine if you have been bitten by a harmless or poisonous spider.
A spider bite can be divided into three different categories:
- A local reaction that occurs at the site of the bite.
- A systemic reaction that spreads throughout the body.
- An allergic reaction, which is abnormal.
Depending on the type of spider that you have been bitten by, you may have drastically different symptoms and reactions. For example, a black widow spider bite may initially feel like a pin prick and could be difficult to notice at first. After several hours, you may feel fever, chills, nausea, and abdominal pain.
Did You Know? Before anti-venom was invented, roughly 5% of black widow bites were lethal.
A brown recluse spider can leave mild stinging at the site of a bite, followed by severe pain up to eight hours later. The bite site is likely to blister and fill with fluid and could result in death in rare cases, especially in children.
Did You Know? A brown recluse bite is almost always completely painless.
What to Do If You’re Bitten by a Spider
If you’ve been bitten by a spider, it’s important to try to identify the type of spider that has bitten you. Take care to clean the wound immediately with soap and water and apply a cool compress directly over the bite.
If you’ve been bitten on an arm or leg, elevate the extremity. You can also take aspirin or an antihistamine to relieve mild symptoms of a spider bite, although aspirin shouldn’t be given to children or teens.
If you’ve been bitten by a poisonous spider like a black widow or brown recluse, it’s critical to slow the spread of venom with a bandage above the bite; if bitten on a limb, elevate the limb to slow down the spread of venom throughout the body.
After a poisonous spider bite, make sure to seek medical attention immediately. If you have any further questions about spider populations in your home, you can contact an Alabama pest control company to professionally exterminate any poisonous spiders that could endanger your family.