The Bite of the Black Widow Spider
Being bitten by a spider can be a scary experience but most spider bites are innocuous and give no more than an annoying itch. But there are two spider bites that can potentially give greater harm. These are the brown recluse spider bite and the black widow spider bite.
The brown recluse spider stay in places where they can never be disturbed. But the black widow spider can be found in closets, garages, wood piles, attics, and various dark places. Since the black widow spiders like warm regions, reports of black widow spider bites are found all over California. But not all black widow spider bites the human being. Only the female black widow spider bites mammals like humans.
Most spider bites can be treated at home, but the black widow spider bite must be immediately treated by the physician. But how does one know that he has a black widow spider bite?
If the spider that sank its fangs on the skin is small, shiny, black, and with a reddish hourglass-shape marking underneath the abdomen, then this spider is a black widow. And one is now a victim of the black widow spider bites. When the black widow spider bites, it releases a certain toxin which is fatal to the nervous system of the human body. This is why black widow spider bites should receive emergency treatment.
If one did not see the spider who bit into the skin, then one may watch out for a few of these black widow spider bite symptoms. The immediate black widow spider bite symptoms are the sharp burning and reddish swelling on the black widow spider bite. Sometimes, one can detect twin fang marks on the skin.
Besides these, other black widow spider bite symptoms are muscle cramping in the stomach, chest, and shoulders. There is also headache, dizziness, sweating, eyelid swelling, nausea or vomiting, salivation, weakness or paralysis in the legs, difficulty in breathing, and increased high blood pressure. These black widow spider bites symptoms must be reported to the doctor.
If one has established that he has a black widow spider bite, he should stay calm and seek the help of a physician. No one has died because of black widow spider bites. The black widow spider bite treatment addresses the problem of infection and the alleviation of the black widow spider bite symptoms.
To prevent infection - the area of the black widow spider bite is thoroughly washed with soap and water. For children with black widow spider bites, antibiotic lotion or cream is applied.
To soothe the itching and burning - a cold compress or ice pack is placed over the black widow spider bite. This will also bring down the swelling of the black widow spider bites.
To relieve the pain - the victim of the black widow spider bite must take pain relievers such as the acetominophen. There are also other medications that will help relieve the pain of a black widow spider bite.
To ease the cramp muscles - doctors may utillize muscle relaxants and other pain relievers for the black widow spider bite victim.
To counteract the black widow spider bite venom - doctors may administer the antivenin for the black widow spider bite.
Patients, especially the children, upon getting a black widow spider bite, must stay in the hospital for observations. The physicians would like to know if the black widow spider bites have caused a complication.