Brown Recluse Bite
The brown recluse spider likes dark, dry, undisturbed (used) places, like the attic, basement or crawlspace, woodpile, inside walls, and lots of other areas. They are very common in southern states and are more likely to be found during the summer months. A brown recluse bite can range in symptoms from mild to severe, even to possibly fatal, depending upon the person and the medical attention they get. Many times, you don't even realize you've we've been bitten until you feel or see the symptoms.
A brown recluse bite can be a very serious bite. And since there is no known antivenin you are bettor off avoiding the bite in the first place. Wear gloves when working in recluse habitats, as described here. And get immediate medical attention when you realize you've been bitten.
What are the symptoms of a brown recluse bite? Many people will feel a sting or pain upon the initial bite, but others don't feel anything. Symptoms include stinging or intense pain, a blistered area, open festering wound, swelling, itching, restlessness, chills, fever, or shock, depending upon the sensitivity of the person bitten. The area around the bite itself may look red and will be hard to the touch, while the brown recluse bite looks dry, bluish-gray or bluish white, with uneven, red edges. The brown recluse bite is often hard to diagnose, since there are so many different conditions that cause these symptoms.
The venom of brown recluse bite begins its damage immediately. The poison the brown recluse spider injects into your body kills the cells (necrosis is the term for that) it touches and may even spread, depending upon your sensitivity. The bite causes a deep, painful wound that heals slowly and if the poison spreads, the damage does too. If you have a severe reaction to the poison, this wound can grow as large as an adult hand, due to the death of the tissue from the poison.
I saw pictures of a brown recluse bite showing the extent of the damage that can be done. The bite was on a knuckle and the venom spread down the finger into the hand. As doctors debrided (cut away) the necrotic tissue the venom seemed to move to the adjoining healthy tissue, causing it to die. It took over a year for the person to be healed from the bite. Seeing those pictures was enough to teach me to wear gloves when digging into places where a brown recluse might live.
If you are bitten, the first thing you want to do is to notice what bit you. If possible, it is best to capture the spider, so that a proper diagnosis can be made. Ice or a cold pack should be placed on the bite to help reduce swelling and pain. Calmness is essential to help prevent the poison from spreading further. Get medical help as soon as possible. Help you might receive includes a hydrocortisone injection or antibiotics. No antivenin has been found effective so far. Careful attention will be given to the area around the bite for three or four days to ensure that the damage is as little as possible.
The brown recluse bite is often hard to prevent, simply because it is hard to determine where they may be hiding. Wwear gloves if you are cleaning a dark and dry place, like a woodpile or attic, or demolishing a wall or shed, to help protect yourself as much as possible. By protecting yourself and knowing what to do in case of a brown recluse bite, you can help keep yourself healthy.
