Venomous Snakebite - Do’s and Don’ts
Statistically speaking, your chances of being bitten by a venomous snake are less than being killed in an automobile accident or being struck by lightning. When you happen to encounter a venomous snake byte, these are the guidelines that you can trust to follow.
Snakebite symptoms include pain, swelling, discoloration of the skin at the site of the bite and/or vomiting.
- Remain calm. Remember: More people die from bee stings each year than from venomous snakebites.
- Remove shoes, jewelry and tight clothing from bitten area.
- Wash the bite site with soap and warm water or rubbing alcohol to remove any excess venom.
- Be prepared to treat for shock and possibly administer CPR.
- Get the victim to the nearest medical facility as soon as possible. The best snakebite first aid is a set of car keys.
On the other hand, there are several things you should not do when treating a snakebite victim:
- Do not attempt to capture, handle or kill a venomous snake. More people are bitten during these activities than in any other situation.
- Do not make cuts or incisions on or near the bitten area. You could cut nerves, tendons or blood vessels — potentially causing more damage than the snakebite.
- Do not give the victim food, drink, alcohol or other drugs. This can cause complications in the successful treatment of the bite.
- Do not attempt to suck venom out with your mouth. You could have a cold sore or other open wound in your mouth, allowing venom to get into your bloodstream.