How to treat a snake bite

Author: Monica Porter
Date Of Creation: 18 March 2021
Update Date: 1 July 2024
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How to Treat a Snake Bite video
Video: How to Treat a Snake Bite video

Content

Being bitten by a snake is a nightmare for hikers! Imagine walking on a sunny road, feeling like blending with nature, suddenly from somewhere a snake comes and attacks you. When you are in this situation, know how to deal with a snake bite immediately. With the right treatment, you can survive even the most poisonous snake bite. Feel free to immerse yourself in nature, enjoy walking, camping or sightseeing, but be aware of the dangers of snakes and learn how to handle snake bites.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Treating Poison Snake Bites

  1. Call ambulance or yell for help. If no one is around but you can still go, get help immediately. Most snake bites are not dangerous, but if they are poisonous snakes it is imperative that you get medical attention as soon as possible. First aid staff know about snakes in that area and they also have the necessary treatment tools. Call the paramedic or go to the emergency room right away.
    • You don't have to know if it's a poisonous snake bite or not, and you can't tell if you just look at the bite. It is best to seek immediate medical attention no matter what the bite looks like.
    • Keep calm. Panic increases the heart rate, and if that snake is poisonous the faster the heart rate causes the poison to spread into the body faster. Try to stay calm and quiet.
    • If possible you should call the hospital emergency room for their instructions while you wait.

  2. Note the appearance of the snake. The first aid staff and the treating doctor need you to describe a snake to determine if it is a poisonous snake. If possible, keep in mind the image of the snake, or at least ask your companion to look closely at it to confirm with certainty what you have seen.
    • You should not try to catch snakes unless you have experience in this, as they are very fast so there is always an advantage.
    • Do not step closer to the snake, or linger to get a better view while standing within its attack range. This is certainly not safe and you should just look quickly and move away.

  3. Stay away from snakes. You should stay away from the snake's attack range immediately so you don't get bitten a second time. Keep a safe distance from the bite, but do not run or move too far. Your heart rate will begin to increase if you exercise rapidly, from which the venom spreads more quickly into the body.
    • Move to a place where the snake is less likely to turn. Look for a flat rock slightly above the ground, somewhere empty or where there is not much shelter for snakes.
    • After reaching a safe place, you must try to keep your body still, avoid movement.

  4. Fix and support the snake bite. Do not tie the garland, but try to limit the movement of the snake bite, and keep the wound at or below the heart. This is how to delay the spread of snake venom if unfortunately it is poisonous.
    • Keeping the wound lower than the heart slows the flow of poisoned blood to the heart, as the heart pushes the venom throughout the body.
    • Make a splint yourself, if possible, to keep the area around the snake bite. Use a stick or board to tie it to one side of the bite. You can tie the cloth fixture below, in the center or above the stick.
  5. Remove clothing, jewelry or items worn at the wound. The bite of a venomous snake causes swelling very quickly, even non-tight clothing becomes tight when the wound is swollen.
  6. Clean the wound thoroughly, but do not flush with water. Take a clean cloth soaked in water and gently wipe the wound, but try to wipe it off as clean as possible. After wiping, cover it with a clean cloth.
  7. Wait for medical staff to come or seek help. The best way is to get the emergency help as soon as possible. The good news is that once you have wiped the wound clean and removed all the jewels worn there, if the swelling is little or no swelling then this bite is almost unlikely to be caused by a poisonous snake. However, if this is the case, then there is a possibility that an infection or a serious body reaction such as an allergic reaction, such as an allergy, should occur, so get medical attention right away.
  8. Avoid actions that make the situation worse. There is a lot of misinformation about how to take care of snakebites, some of which put you in even greater danger.
    • Do not remove the venom or suck the venom out with your mouth. Incision only aggravates the problem and increases the risk of infection. Anyone who sucks the venom can accidentally swallow a little and poison themselves.
    • Do not tie garnish or apply ice to the wound. Experts believe that garnet restricts excessive blood circulation, while ice worsens the wound.
    • Do not drink alcohol or caffeine as they increase the heart rate leading to the spread of venom in the wound. But you must drink enough water.
  9. Understand medical care in an emergency. In the emergency room, your healthcare provider will treat you with swelling and pain, and other symptoms caused by snake bites. Examples include nausea, dizziness, numbness, difficulty breathing, or a feeling of not swallowing.They also monitor you to prevent low blood pressure, any signs of damage to the blood or nervous system, allergic reactions and swelling.
    • Treatment depends on what symptoms you are experiencing. If there are no symptoms at all you still have to stay in the hospital for 24 hours to observe the situation, as in some cases symptoms may appear during this time.
    • If you have been bitten by a venomous snake, your doctor will treat you with a snakebite medicine (also called an antivenom). This drug is a synthesis of antibodies, produced to neutralize snake venom, safe and effective for both adults and children. Depending on your symptoms, you may need to take more than one dose.
    • It is likely that you will be given a broad spectrum antibiotic to avoid infection of the wound, and a tetanus shot if your doctor deems it necessary.
    • There are also cases that require surgery when the bite is too severe.
  10. Follow the instructions for taking care of your wound when you go home. After discharge from hospital, the most important thing for you to take care of is to keep the wound clean and covered, and to follow medical instructions on wound care. For example, you need to know how often to change the dressing, how to clean a healing wound (usually with soap and warm water), and how to recognize infection.
    • Signs of infection include swelling, pain to the touch, redness, drainage and heat at the site of the infection, or the appearance of a new fever. If you experience any of the above symptoms at the bite, you should call your doctor immediately.
  11. Stay calm and wait if the health care unit cannot be contacted. If you are in a wilderness and the health care unit cannot arrive early, what you need to do most is to stay calm and wait for the venom to clear. In most cases, snakes do not pump enough venom in time to cause death. Treat each symptom as they appear, and most importantly, stay calm and minimize your movement. The fear of snakes and the thrill of being bitten are often responsible for death, as the heart is beating so hard that the venom quickly spreads to the body.
    • If you are hiking and can find someone else, ask them to call or seek help for you, or more times they have a snake venom pump.
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Method 2 of 3: Treating Snake Bites is not poisonous

  1. Stop bleeding. The bite of a snake is not poisonous, but it is not life-threatening, but you still need first aid to avoid infection. In the same way as treating a stab wound, you must first squeeze a sterile gauze pad or bandage into the wound so that you don't lose much blood.
    • Do not treat a snake bite in this manner unless you are absolutely certain that it is a non-poisonous snake. If in doubt you should seek immediate medical attention.
  2. Clean the wound carefully. Wash the wound with clean water and soap for several minutes, then rinse with water several times. Dry with a sterile medical gauze. Use an alcohol-based medical gauze if available.
  3. Treat the wound with topical antibiotics and bandages. Apply a layer of antibiotic ointment to the clean wound, then cover it with a bandage. This not only protects the wound, but also prevents infection.
  4. Seek medical attention. Your doctor will examine the wound to make sure it has been properly cleaned and cared for. Ask if you need additional treatment, such as a tetanus shot.
  5. Pay attention to the wound as it heals. Even nontoxic snake bites can become infected, so watch for signs of infection such as redness, pus streaks, swelling, drainage, or fever. If you have any signs, you should follow-up to be checked.
  6. Drink plenty of fluids while you wait to heal. As the wound heals, make sure you stay hydrated. In general, you should drink about 2 liters of water per day. advertisement

Method 3 of 3: Understanding Snakes and Snake Bites

  1. Learn about poisonous snakes. Most snakes are non-toxic but all know how to bite. The most poisonous snakes are cobra, cobra, coral snake, water cobra and rattlesnake. Although many venomous snakes have triangular heads, the only practical way to know if they are venomous is to possess the ability to identify the snake, or locate the canine glands on the body.
  2. Determine if you are in a place where poisonous snakes live. Cobra lives in Asia and Africa, cobra lives in the southern and eastern regions of the United States, some places in Australia and Asia. Coral snakes are found in the south of the United States, parts of India, Southeast Asia, China and Taiwan. The water cobra lives in the southeastern United States, while the rattlesnake lives scattered from southern Canada and extends down to Argentina.
    • Some parts of the world, such as Australia, have a higher density of extremely toxic solids than others. Remember that poisonous snakes can and do live in cities as well as in the wild, so be cautious.
  3. Learn about snake bites. When bitten by a non-poisonous snake the most worrying thing is infection and swelling. Whereas with venomous snakes, in addition to tissue damage and infection, you must pay attention to the effects of the venom. Normally snakes do not bite unless they are agitated or manipulated by someone.
    • The canines of a snake can be fixed or retracted when not in use. Poison snakes have one of these two types of teeth, with snakes with fixed canines like cobras, the poison tends to affect the nervous system, while the venom of the toothed snake takes in and affects the blood cells. .
    • All types of snakes carry substances that can destroy tissue, so limiting this damage is the most important issue when bitten by a snake.
  4. Understand snake behavior. Snakes are "cold-blooded", meaning they draw body heat from their surroundings and from sunlight. That is why snakebites and snakebites are not common in cool climates or in cold seasons, because they are then hibernating.
    • Conversely, the closer you get to the equator, the more snakes are, for in this area they do not have to hibernate and are more active on hot days.
  5. Avoid contact with snakes. The best way to treat snakebites is to avoid seeing them. According to wildlife experts, here are the best ways to avoid snake bites:
    • Do not sleep or rest near what could be a snakes hideout. Examples are bushes, where tall grass is grown, large rocks and overgrown trees.
    • Do not stick your hand in rock crevices, hollow logs, bushes or anywhere a snake awaits prey.
    • Pay attention to looking down at your feet when walking through thickets or tall grass.
    • Do not try to pick up a snake, dead or alive. There is a very strange but true thing, it is about a minute after death snake still bite reflex.
    • ALWAYS wear high ankle boots and tuck the hem of the pants into the shoes.
    • Make noise. Most snakes don't want to see you, nor do you want to see them! So in order not to scare a snake you have to let them know you are coming.
  6. Buy a snakebite kit. If you regularly go hiking or are an adventurer, invest in a snakebite kit, including a pump and suction device. Do not use the type with blade or suction ball. advertisement

Warning

  • If you hear or see a poisonous snake, stand still. They do not see clearly, so they use motion to identify danger. Slowly step back, and after exiting the danger zone, warn others.
  • Watch your steps when you go to places where both humans and rattlesnakes live. Rattles will ring a bell on their tail to drive away enemies, as they do not want to attack. But because of the overwhelming hunting of rattlesnakes, their behavior has changed where people live. In places where there are many people, rattles rarely ring the bell to alert you, instead they try to disguise, which is why you easily step on them by mistake.
  • Some people recommend wrapping the elastic bandage tightly, but not to the point of discomfort, five to eight centimeters above the bite site. You can use the brand ACE Bandage-S or make your own from elastic fabrics. However, some experts disagree with elastic bandages, as this can cause the venom to escape quickly when you remove the dressing or other material from the wound.People who have not had first aid training often make the mistake of when the bandages are too tight, like garnishes, to interfere with blood circulation leading to worse condition.
  • Do not make an incision to absorb the venom, either by mouth or using a snake-biting device. This approach is unable to remove significant amounts of toxins, and has the potential to further damage the skin.