How to Identify and Treat Recluse (Fiddleback) Spider Bites

Recluse spider bites are rarely fatal, but can cause great discomfort and crater-like scars at the site of the bite. If you are bitten while in the wilderness, evacuation is recommended for proper treatment. Here are a few steps to help you treat a spider bite.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Compression Bandages
• Ibuprofen
• Cold Compresses
• Antibiotic Ointment
• Gauze Pads

1. Learn to recognize fiddleback spiders, which get their name from a violin-shaped mark on the back of their heads. Their bodies are a little more than 1cm in length, and their legs reach to about 5cm.

2. Exercise caution when stepping or reaching into places where fiddleback spiders are likely to be: in hot, dry, unoccupied environments like dried logs, wood piles, or abandoned buildings.

3. Look for the signs and symptoms of a fiddleback spider bite: pain at the site of the bite within a few hours, a blister at the site of the bite which will often grow in size and rupture and occasional nausea, vomiting, fever or chills.

4. Clean the bite with an antiseptic cleanser (See "How to Clean a Wound").

5. Apply an ice pack to the site of the bite.

6. Monitor the bite area, if a blister forms and then pops, carefully clean and dress the wound to prevent infection (See "How to Clean a Wound" and "How to Bandage a Wound").

7. Administer pain killers to provide some relief of the symptoms.

8. Evacuate immediately so the injured person may be treated in a hospital to minimize tissue damage.

Tips & Warnings

• These bites can leave crater-like scars if not treated in a hospital with drug therapy within 24 hours. Evacuate immediately.
• Do not attempt to lance the bite or extract the venom.
• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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[mojo558]

on 6/9/2009 I have had a brown recluse spider in the past, I used (Prid) a drawing salve. I applied the Prid as soon as I noticed the heat and start of a blister. Within three days the bite was barely noticeable. Living in the country I keep Prid on hand!Prid can be found at most pharmacy's and maybe even Wal-mart.

[lusighns]

on 5/18/2009 Electrical treatment of bites can be very helpful and healing. There is such an article on NaturalNews website and one on hubpages.com by frogyfish. The first is more detailed, but both explain it. Good research to do.

[Conal]

on 8/29/2008 The Spider shown in the web at the beginning of this article is NOT a brown recluse. Brown Recluse spiders do not spin webs. The spider shown is most likely a harmless orb spider.

on 6/30/2006 Believe it not, Preparation H works wonders on these bites, along with antibiotics. The doctor was amazed at how fast my bite healed, and with no scarring.

on 11/22/2005 My son was recently bitten on his bicep by a brown recluse. We did not realize this until a day or two later, when the wound was hot to the touch. We went to the doctor and received antibiotics. Then we went to the health food store. There they recommended a damp compress of powdered charcoal and meat tenderizer. Mix the powdered charcoal (1 teaspoon) and the meat tenderizer (1/2 teaspoon) make into a very thick paste. Place the mix on a bandage, cover the charcoal with a damp gauze. We did this procedure for approximately 1 week, twice a day. About 36 hours after the first application, the venom erupted out. It left a hole the diameter of a pencil eraser and very deep. We continued using the charcoal adding Neosporin to the wound. The wound healed from the inside out, eventually becoming a purplish blemish. That was 5 months ago, there now remains a circular skin toned blemish, not a scar. The doctor was amazed at the results and so were we.