Treating Black Widow Bites
Black widow spiders are one of the most venomous spiders in America. They have a shiny black body of about ½-inch in length with a red hour glass marking on the underside of it's abdomen. Black widow spiders are usually found outside in places like woodpiles but can also be found in damp, dark places like sheds, closets and garages. Black widows will bite and often the bites are painful. Here are some ways for treating black widow bites.
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Instructions
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Clean the area around the spider bite. Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.
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Apply a cold compress. A cold compress will help reduce swelling in the spider bite area.
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Pour hydrogen peroxide over the wound. This will help to stop infection from setting up and give the wound a little extra cleansing.
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Put the spider in a container. If it is at all possible, take the spider or spider's dead body with you to the doctor so it can be correctly identified. It is important to make sure that the spider is correctly identified so that you are not treated for the wrong kind of spider bite.
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Go to the emergency room. Black widow spiders sometimes injects a neurotoxin into the body and you might need antivenin to counteract it.
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Tips & Warnings
Black widow spiders do not always inject venom into the body when they bite someone. Even so, most bites are painful. When venom is injected, they can make a person really sick. Some of the effects of the neurotoxin are swelling and redness where the bite occurred, nausea, vomiting and muscle cramps, some of which are severe. If the muscle cramps are very bad, then a warm bath might help to loosen up the muscles. Young adults are rarely hurt badly from black widow bites, unlike the old and the very young. It has been many years since there has been a fatality in the U.S. Wearing gloves when working in or around areas where there might be black widow spiders can help to keep from getting bit. If you know there is a black widow spider infestation on your property, call an exterminator so he can get rid of them.
If you have heart problems, go immediately to the doctor or the emergency room. The black widow spider's bite can cause blood pressure to rise.
