Stings and Bites
A spider bite is only one type of bite, but some symptoms of this bite can be seen in various types of stings and bites.
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What are the warning signs?
There are many different types of stings and bites that a person may encounter however some of the more common symptoms are stated below. The symptoms of a spider bite are seen in the diagram on the other side of the page. The symptoms of a snake bite may include; puncture marks, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, drowsiness, respiratory weakness, a headache, or difficulty breathing. If it is a blue-ringed octopus bite, then the victim may become numb around the mouth, tongue, face, and neck. Their chest may become tight and they may have difficulty breathing which can lead to respiratory failure and even death. If the bite appears to be from a paralysis tick than the victim may have irritation at the site of the tick, and if it remains in the body then there may be a gradual reduction in muscle strength and unsteadiness may occur. It may progress to difficulty breathing or swallowing and eventually paralysis. If the injury appears to be a sting, then some of the key symptoms are; horrendous pain (for something such as a jellyfish sting), vomiting, muscle cramps, red inflammation around the sting site, or a person may go into shock and collapse. If the sting is from a cone shell snail then the symptoms may include pain, swelling and numbness around the site. Vision and speech may be disturbed along with a prolonged weakness in the muscles. How to save the victim? As there are many stings and bites that a person may endure, there are many treatments. However some of the important steps may include bandaging the site and keeping the person immobile until emergency services arrive. It is important not to tourniquet the bite or sting site, as was recommended in the past. If the bite is from a spider such as a redback or funnel-web then it is important to keep the victim still as moving may spread the venom faster. This can be done using a splint applied to the limb of the bite site. A redback spider does not require a pressure immobilisation bandage; however it is recommended if the bite is known to be a funnel-web. An ice pack may be applied to reduce the pain, and 000 should be called if the situation looks serious. If it is a snake bite then it is important to first apply an immobilisation bandage as far up the limb as possible. The helper should not attempt to suck the venom out of the bite, nor wash it off. It is also important in this situation to keep the bitten limb and the person still and to apply a splint to the leg or arm that has been bitten. Then 000 should be called to seek medical attention. If the bite appears to be a tick bite, than the tick should be removed using tweezers, ensuring that the entire head is pulled out. While doing this it is important not to squeeze the tick, as it will only inject more venom into the victims systems. Medical attention should be sought after if part of the tick is left in the person's body. If a blue ringed octopus has bitten the person, than 000 need to be called and a pressure immobilisation bandage should be applied. The person must then seek medical assistance as soon as possible. If the wound appears to be a sting from a bluebottle then the first step would be to remove any tentacles with tweezers and then apply ice packs or anaesthetics to relieve the pain. Placing the sting site in hot water can also be used to relieve the pain; however vinegar is not recommended and nor is washing the area off in fresh water. If the sting appears to be from a box jellyfish or sea wasp then it is recommended to cover the entire sting area in vinegar for at least 30 seconds. 000 should be called straight away to seek medical attention. For this type of sting an antivenom is required; however if this is not available then a pressure immobilisation bandage should be used while the person is being transported to hospital. It is important that during this entire process the victim does not move. If the sting appears to be from a cone shell then it is important to apply a pressure immobilisation bandage over the site and to seek medical assistance immediately. CPR may need to be done if the victim's breathing has stopped. After treatment a tetanus injection may be required because the wound may become infected. If the sting appears to be from a irkandji than it is also vital to call 000 before proceeding to take them to seek medical care. However this sting may not develop for 30 minutes, when the person will start feeling lower back pain, vomiting, muscle cramps, and anxiety. NOTE: If it is possible to catch the animal that attacked the victim without causing yourself any harm then this is recommended as it may be needed for identification reasons if anti venom is required. |