Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Respond quickly and calmly
• Part 2 of 3: Exposing Common Myths
• Part 3 of 3: Preventing Snake Bites
• Tips
• Warnings

If you've been bitten by a snake, the most important thing is to stay calm and follow a few simple steps to prevent the venom from spreading quickly into the tissues at the site of the bite. Also, try to get to the hospital as quickly as possible; Resist the temptation to treat the snake bite yourself. You can stay alive and well if you calm down and take the necessary steps.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Respond quickly and calmly

1. 1 Go to the hospital as soon as possible. Remember, the sooner you do this, the better your chances of recovery. You can call an ambulance or go to the hospital yourself. The most important thing is to do it as quickly as possible. Don't wait, act without delay.
   • Your life may be in danger, but many venomous snake habitats are within reach of the hospital.In the event that it is several hours to the nearest hospital, you should stay upright, stay hydrated, stay calm, and use your cell phone to call emergency services. Modern mobile phones are equipped with technology to help track the owner of the device. Call emergency services or ambulance if you cannot get to the hospital on your own.
2. 2 Keep calm. It sounds corny, but peace of mind can save your life. When you are worried, your heart beats faster, blood flow to the affected area increases, which means that the amount of poison that can enter your tissues will increase.
   • You may experience dizziness, shortness of breath, and heavy sweating. In addition, blood pressure can be significantly reduced. These are symptoms of a venomous snake bite. These symptoms should not be taken lightly. Do your best to stay calm.
   • A snake bite can cause severe tissue damage and, in some cases, even death. So go to the hospital as soon as possible. Take the simplest and most correct decision if you are bitten by a poisonous snake - calmly get to the nearest medical facility as quickly as possible. Never drive as you may pass out while driving. This can lead to more serious consequences than just a snake bite.
3. 3 Do not make any active movements. The bite should be below the level of the heart. This will slow down the spread of the poison. The more you move, the more actively the circulatory system works, and, accordingly, the poison spreads throughout the body faster. Just stand still. This is the best thing you can do under these circumstances.
   • If the bite is on your arm, lower it. Resist the temptation to lift her up; if you do this, blood circulation will increase, and particles of poison will enter the heart. Just stand still.
   • If you are not on your own, ask your companion to carry things. If possible, don't carry things at all.
4. 4 Not every time a venomous snake injects venom when bitten, but that doesn't mean you have to wait for symptoms to show up and die before you reach the emergency room. Bite symptoms vary. An untreated bite of a venomous snake that has injected its venom is a serious illness that ultimately leads to death. Panic is a natural reaction, but if you stay calm, you will live much longer.
   • In case you're wondering, the symptoms of a snakebite include: swelling around the wound, burning sensation, diarrhea, fever, blurred vision, dizziness, seizures, fainting, paralysis, and general weakness.
5. 5 If the bite is small, let the primary wound bleed naturally. More blood will flow out first because the venom contains anticoagulants. If the snake bite is deep enough and blood gushes from the wound (meaning the snake has touched an important artery and you are rapidly losing blood), clamp the wound and call emergency medical personnel immediately.
   • Never use tourniquets or bandages to stop bleeding. For example, the venom of some snake species contains hemotoxins, substances that impair the permeability of the erythrocyte membrane.
6. 6 Instead of a tourniquet, use a tape to constrict the wound; for this purpose, you can also use an elastic bandage. The tape is similar to a tourniquet, the main difference being the amount of compression force. A wound constriction tape will reduce blood flow, but not completely block it.
   • Tie the tape 5.1-10.2cm above the bite (loose enough so you can insert your finger between the tape and the skin). Thanks to this, the poison does not quickly enter the bloodstream.
   • If, when applying the tape, the affected area becomes cold or numb within a few minutes, then you have tightened the wound too tightly, the tape must be slightly loosened.Using tape will help calm you down as you have done at least something to reduce the problem.
   • Remove rings and bracelets as swelling and swelling may develop at the site of the bite, caused by hemotoxins.
7. 7 In the end, the most important thing to do is not to panic. There are several species of snakes in the United States that are deadly venomous. Remain calm and see a doctor immediately. Everything will be fine, even if you are in pain. Don't let the pain overcome its cause; keep your sanity and everything will end well.

Part 2 of 3: Exposing Common Myths

1. 1 Many websites recommend killing the snake and bringing it with you. You will waste time and put yourself in even more danger. The mere fact that a snake has bitten you is not a sufficient reason to kill a beautiful creature.
   • Today, the antidote is polyvalent, that is, effective against many types of poison.
   • You should also familiarize yourself with what the venomous snakes in your area look like.
2. 2 Never rinse the wound! If you do this, the hospital will not be able to quickly and accurately determine the type of snake that bit you. Thus, you will not be able to quickly obtain the correct antidote.
   • However, you can wash the area (with soap and water) around the wound. This can help prevent the spread of the infection.
3. 3 Do not make a cruciform incision over the wound or suck out the venom. This is likely to cause profuse bleeding and / or lead to additional necrosis (tissue death) and / or further spread of infection due to microbes in the mouth or the environment. In fact, "sucking the poison out of the wound" can be deadly.
   • What's more, you can get the infection through your saliva. In general, there are many reasons why this should not be done.
4. 4 Do not use a tourniquet. While the correct application of the tourniquet can help in some medical cases, the likelihood is low in this situation. In most cases, the application of a tourniquet can cause necrosis and possibly lead to the need to amputate the affected area.
   • A tourniquet is a relatively narrow and long strip of some kind of material that is placed around an arm or leg in an emergency to stop bleeding. As mentioned above, it is better to use a bandage.
5. 5 Do not use electrically stimulated antidote kits. They don't work and can speed up the spread of the poison.
   • Some websites recommend the use of the Sawyer Extractor venom suction kit. However, this kit does not provide sufficient absorption and may cause additional necrosis. Even though it doesn't work properly, if you feel the need for it, read the instructions and familiarize yourself with its use before you need it. The kit is not a substitute for proper medical attention.
6. 6 Do not inject yourself with the antidote. Most antidotes are antibodies produced by horses. A tolerance test is usually done before antivenom is given. Many people are allergic to equine serum antibodies, and administration of these can cause anaphylactic shock.
   • Medical staff are trained to always have adrenaline on hand to help patients with allergies in case of real danger. In addition, antidotes are difficult to find, do not have a long shelf life, must be diluted with salt for maximum effectiveness, and are expensive ($ 500- $ 1000 per vial, and typically 4-10 ampoules are required for the required injection).
7. 7 Don't put ice or cold on the bite site. Cold negatively affects blood circulation, which leads to tissue death. What's more, some experts believe that snake venom can make you prone to frostbite. Therefore, the use of ice can be quite dangerous.
   • Put this problem in the hands of healthcare professionals.While you can self-rinse the wound and apply a bandage, limit yourself to these steps. Put everything in the hands of your doctor.

Part 3 of 3: Preventing Snake Bites

1. 1 Don't walk on tall grass. Many snakes hide in the grass. Walking on tall grass, it is not easy to see what you are standing on. Therefore, tall grass is a serious danger. Try to follow the path. If there is no path in your path, and you have to walk on the grass, use a stick to clear a path in front of you and thereby frighten the snake away.
   • Snakes can also crawl on vertical surfaces. You can see a snake on a tree branch. While the snake is easier to spot in the tree, be careful as it can be dangerous.
2. 2 As with all accidents, prevention is the best treatment. Find out where you are going and what you may face. Snakes, like almost all wild animals, tend to avoid humans. When walking through the forest, make enough noise to alert the snake that you are approaching.
   • See where you step. Most snake bites are in the lower legs, due to careless steps that are close enough to the snake that it feels threatened. When given the opportunity to escape, the snake generally prefers to make this safe move.
3. 3 When you see a poisonous snake, do not approach it. Back out slowly in the opposite direction. 80% to 95% of all snakebites are due to intentional approach to the snake. There is certainly some appeal, but approaching a venomous snake without the proper equipment is reckless at best.
   • Do not poke poisonous snakes with sticks. The length of many snakes is 2-3 times longer than the resting body length. If you can reach the snake, then it can reach you.
4. 4 If you can use covers to protect your legs and knees, do so even if they are extremely hot and uncomfortable in them. To protect your hands, wear heavy leather gloves and try to first look where you are going to reach your hand (before you extend it). Use a stick while hiking, place it in front of your feet to at least somehow warn the snakes about your approach, so that they can leave the territory without feeling threatened. While these are good prevention methods, there is no guarantee that you will not be harmed by snakebites.
   • The other most common injury is a hand or forearm injury. According to some Internet studies, most often drunk young men suffer from snakebites in the United States. So don't drink or play with wild snakes!

Tips

• You will most likely receive a tetanus vaccine in addition to the antidote.
• The best option would be to ask someone to drive your car. Some bites can lead to unconsciousness. If you drive, you can harm yourself and those around you.
• Wound tape can be made of anything. Use a belt or piece of rope. Pharmacy gum is also great for this. If you have a backpack, then you can cut the strap and use it (sacrificing a backpack to save a life is a worthy move).
• Stay away from tall grass, do not lift logs, and do not disturb the snakes.

Warnings

• Do not use a tourniquet. In the long run, tourniquets are more dangerous than most snakebites.
• Give the victim an antidote as soon as possible.
• Do not panic. Keep your composure.
• Do not treat the bite as something insignificant, sometimes late treatment can be fatal for the patient.