The following is a guest post by Cathy Rider, physician relations coordinator for Via Christi Health.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports spiders rarely bite people unless they are threatened. I have been bitten twice in the last few years. If only I could have that kind of luck when the Powerball hit 240 million! Sadly, I have not cashed in on that windfall.
Believe me, I’m not going around threatening spiders — or any other creepy insects for that matter. For some reason I seem to attract them. I can be outdoors with a group of people and I am the only one being bitten by mosquitoes. I like to think it is because I’m so sweet, but my boys would tell you that is definitely not the case!
So what should you do if you are bitten by a spider?
Here are some tips from the NIH:
- Wash the area well with soap and water.
- Apply a wet compress to the area.
- Take over-the-counter medication for pain, if needed.
- Consider using an antihistamine for severe swelling.
- Seek medical treatment for small children and adults with severe symptoms.
- If a brown recluse spider bite is suspected, be sure to seek medical attention right away.
Some people have more severe reactions to bites and stings. I fall into this category but, thankfully, not the life-threatening anaphylactic shock reaction. Those require immediate emergency care. Symptoms may include shock; swelling of the throat, tongue, or eyes; coughing; wheezing; difficulty breathing; light-headedness; confusion; and nausea. If you experience this reaction, you need care immediately.
Personally, I experienced a large skin reaction at the site of the bite: swelling, red streaks radiating from wound site, severe itching, pain, low-grade fever, numbness and tingling.
When that happened, I called the Wichita expert on spider bites, Robert Bingaman, MD. He prescribes Dapsone for his spider-bite patients, and recommends Benadryl and Tylenol for pain. I am grateful to Dr. Bingaman and his nurse, Julie, for taking such good care of me. I was bitten over a week ago and my wound is healing nicely.
