What to do if You Are Bitten by a Venomous Snake

Get medical help as soon as you can (dial 911 or call local Emergency Medical Services [EMS]). Serious snake envenomation is treated with antivenin. The sooner antivenin can be administered, the sooner venom harm that cannot be reversed may be halted.

First and foremost, move away from the snake. Don't attempt to catch it; doing so just increases the risk of harm to more people. They should then seek medical attention right away since these symptoms might worsen very quickly. We look for indicators of nausea, vomiting, muscular discomfort, and low blood pressure before seeing redness, swelling, blistering, and warmth.

Although snakes generally avoid people and only bite when they feel threatened, poisonous bites cause poisoning in about 3 million people each year. Only a small percentage of these bites result in death, but the chemicals in snake venom may quickly lead to life threatening medical situations, including organ failure, uncontrolled bleeding, severe tissue damage, and paralysis that may interfere with breathing.

To lessen the effects of the venom before the patient arrives at a facility, the wound should be kept clean and the wounded limb e neutral with or below the heart. After getting bitten, being calm and composed may aid in reducing the venom's spread. Venomous snake bites don't necessarily carry a toxic payload. When 8 to 12 hours pass without any symptoms, the bite was probably venom-free since at least 25% of dangerous snake attacks are so-called "dry bites." Venom left on skin or clothes may be used to identify venomous snakes. 

Anyone who has been bitten by a venomous snake should wear a pressure immobilization bandage. Before calling for aid, you should securely wrap the affected body part, such as an arm or leg, and keep the person quiet and immobile. First, cover the bite with a pressure bandage. You shouldn't be able to easily slip a finger between the bandage and the skin, and it should be tight. 

The whole limb should then be immobilized with a strong elastic roller bandage. Beginning just above the bitten limb's fingers or toes, work your way upward along the limb until you reach the torso. Put the leg in a splint, covering the bite-side joints on both sides. Keep the subject and the affected leg entirely still. If feasible, use a pen to indicate the bite's location on the bandage.

Nevertheless, it's hard to tell right away whether venom may have been injected after a bite, so victims should not hold off on getting help until symptoms show up. Even if you've never come across a venomous snake in the wild, you're really far closer than you would realize.

Snakes live in a variety of settings, including coastal and freshwater ecosystems, grasslands, marshes, mountains, river deltas, and forests. Snakes often enter inhabited regions they had previously avoided after natural catastrophes like floods or wildfires, and they may even seek refuge in households. Most snake bites occur when someone attempts to kill or capture them. If you come across a snake, don't be scared. Allow it to go by backing off to a safe distance. Snakes often try to flee when startled.

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