It is common to blame rashes and unexplained bug bites to spiders, but due to the symptoms one develops, it is possible to determine if the bite in fact came from a spider, and how harmful it is. Fortunately for us, most spider’s venom are not harmful to humans and therefore very few bites require medical attention.
However, there are some exceptions to this, and one should be wary of brown recluse, black widow, hobo, mouse, wolf and funnel-web spiders. Regular symptoms of a spider bite are a pink welt (possibly looks like a bulls-eye), and possibly itching, swelling, and pain. More severe symptoms include dizziness, confusion, fever, and upon experiencing any of these one should seek out medical treatment immediately.
Minor Symptoms
Most individuals do not realize they have been bitten by a spider until sometime after the fact. Usually, spiders are quite shy creatures, and will only bite if they are nervous or feel threatened. Upon being bit, some might experience what feels like a pin prick, and soon a red welt will begin to develop which means the body is fighting off the venom. The appearance of bite will look like a red dot with puncture wounds where it bit down. Depending on the spider, the wound may look like a bulls-eye, with an outer ring and a red welt in the center.
Where the bite is, one will likely feel some slight pain, swelling, and itching. To alleviate any of these symptoms, you may try icing it or using remedies like witch hazel to prevent itching and swelling. Try to keep the wound sanitized to lower the chances of ulceration and infection.
Severe Symptoms
Severe symptoms of a spider bite are headaches, nausea, vomiting, chills, and fever. In rare cases one may experience shortness of breath, elevated heart rate, confusion, dizziness, and even loss of consciousness. These symptoms are a sign that the individual is being affected by dangerous spider venom.
What to Do if Bitten?
When one suffers from extreme symptoms, medical treatment will be necessary. The hospital can help, but it would be best if someone were able to give an account of how the spider bite was received. Describe the areas where the affected individual has been recently, how soon he or she started experiencing symptoms, and so on.
The best scenario would be if one manages to capture or, failing that, bringing in the corpse of the spider that caused the bite. Determining the exact spider will assist medical staff in the treatment process. People who live in areas where highly toxic spiders reside should be prepared in case the day arrives when they are bitten themselves.
Allergic Reactions
It is possible for an individual to suffer an allergic reaction to spider bites regardless if the venom is harmless to a regular human or not. Those who are allergic may suffer the symptoms outlined in the severe symptoms section, and additional signs are wheezing, redness, and hives. Those suffering from allergies ought to keep an epi-pen on their persons at all times in case they need to inject epinephrine to protect them from allergic reactions.