Survival Basics and How To Survive: Black Widow and Brown Recluse Bites

Brown Recluse Spider

The Brown Recluse spider is a small brown spider that hides in undisturbed clothing, shoes, gloves, closeted equipment and in other places infrequently visited. They are sometimes characterized by the presence of the shape of a violin or fiddle on their back giving them their colloquial name “fiddle back” spider. This isn’t necessarily the best way to identify Brown Recluse spiders. The best way to clearly identify these spiders is to notice they have three sets of two eyes sometimes arranged like a human’s two eyes and nose. The brown recluse bite is sometimes not painful or noticed until it becomes a serious skin and tissue lesion. One should seek medical attention if they notice a pimple or blood blister becoming worse in a period of a few hours to a day to become similar to that of a boil. If untreated, the wound can become gangrenous and potentially life threatening. The skin tissue will not heal and the wound will continue to spread. The tissue will continue to die causing the skin to peel away and the hole where the bite initially is will continue to go deeper into muscle tissue if not treated quickly. The best treatment is recognition and immediate professional medical care.

Brown Recluse Bite Symptoms
Brown recluse spider bites often go unnoticed initially because they are usually painless bites. Occasionally, some minor burning that feels like a bee sting is noticed at the time of the bite. Symptoms usually develop two to eight hours after a bite. Keep in mind that most bites cause little tissue destruction.

Victims may experience these symptoms:

· severe pain at bite site after about four hours

· severe itching

· nausea

· vomiting

· fever

· Muscle pain.

Initially the bite site is mildly red and upon close inspection may reveal fang marks. Most commonly, the bite site will become firm and heal with little scaring over the next few days or weeks. Occasionally, the local reaction will be more severe with erythema and blistering, sometimes leading to a blue discoloration, and ultimately leading to a necrotic lesion and scarring. Signs that may be present include:

· Blistering (common)

· Necrosis (death) of skin and subcutaneous fat (less common)

· Severe destructive necrotic lesions with deep wide borders (rare)

Brown Recluse Wound Prictures
Brown Recluse Initial bite

3 day after bite

9 days after initial bite/ Scar 10 months after bite(below)

Treatment for Brown Recluse Spider Bites

Ensure victims airway is not compromised (in severe reaction situations)

Seek medical attention as soon as possible

There is no anti venom available in the United States to counteract the poisonous venom of the brown recluse spider. Controversial therapies include steroids and the drug dapsone (Avlosulfon). These are often reserved for people with severe systemic disease (such as certain types of anemia, blood clotting problems, and kidney failure). The therapies have little proven benefit.

The patient will need to follow-up with a doctor because most wounds will need to be checked daily for at least three to four days. Necrotic lesions will need close follow-up. The doctor may carefully remove dead tissue in necrotic areas to reduce the chance of developing secondary bacterial infections.

Black Widow Spider
The Black Widow Spider is a relatively small black spider with a characteristic red hourglass shape on its underbelly. The Southern Black Widow spider commonly spins its web in quiet, dry places such as under water meter covers, pieces of firewood or logs, in quite tool sheds and the like. This spider is quite poisonous and can produce a bite that requires medical attention. The bite is usually quite painful followed by several non localized symptoms that always indicate emergency medical attention. Any bite followed by muscle ache, cramps, abdominal pain, nervous jitter, vomiting, dizziness, chest pain and trouble breathing should be an indication of a potential life threatening condition that requires emergency medical attention.

Red Back (Same species as black widow)

Black Widow Spider Bite Symptoms

The black widow spiders produce a type of protein venom that affects the victim's nervous system. This neurotoxin protein is one of the most potent venom secreted by an animal. Some people are slightly affected by the venom, but others may have a severe response. The first symptom is acute pain at the site of the bite, although there may only be a minimal local reaction. Symptoms usually start within 20 minutes to one hour after the bite.

Local pain may be followed by localized or generalized severe muscle cramps, abdominal pain, weakness, and tremor. Large muscle groups (such as shoulder or back) are often affected, resulting in considerable pain. In severe cases, nausea, vomiting, fainting, dizziness, chest pain, and respiratory difficulties may follow.
The severity of the reaction depends on the age and physical condition of the person bitten. Children and the elderly are more seriously affected than young adults.
In some cases, abdominal pain may mimic such conditions as appendicitis or gallbladder problems. Chest pain may be mistaken for a heart attack.
Blood pressure and heart rate may be elevated. The elevation of blood pressure can lead to one of the most severe complications.
People rarely die from a black widow's bite. Life-threatening reactions are generally seen only in small children and the elderly.

Treatment for Black Widow Bite