There are over 40,000 different types of spider on this planet and these clever little critters have found ways to exist just about anywhere where they can find a food supply, with is normally other bugs. They all bite, and understanding spider bites can help to quickly diagnose a bite and seek medical treatment if the bite is from one of the more deadly spiders, such as the brown recluse or black widow.
All spiders bite, but some are so small they cannot be seen with the naked eye and they do not generally bother us. Their venom is injected into their prey - much like a snake kills, and the toxin that is injected usually acts on the prey's nervous system so it will stop struggling so the spider can wrap it up and take it home.
The tropics and subtropics, and the southeast and mid-western United States are where the most dangerous venomous spiders like to hang out. There is a large food supply for them in warm and moist conditions. Unfortunately Florida is a subtropical state and there many incidences of nasty spider bites there, especially from brown recluse spiders.
These spiders hide in crevices and unexpected places, perhaps between a door and a frame if the door hasn't been opened for a few weeks. They like dark secluded places, hence the word "recluse" in their title. Their bites can cause severe pain and sometimes anaphylactic shock, so if you are familiar with the bites of these spiders, you are better prepared to get a patient off to treatment immediately.
The wound a brown recluse spider or black widow spider inflicts may just feel like a pin prick at first and sometimes you will see two minute spots of blood side by side where the fags penetrated the skin. Swelling follows and the bite site becomes painful, at this stage there may be feelings of nausea and stomach cramps. Depending on which spider bit you understanding spider bites and how they progress may help in diagnosis, especially if you are perhaps camping in a remote area. Depending on the age and physical health of the victim, they can also suffer fluctuating blood pressure, dizziness and vomiting. The black widow's venom acts on the central nervous system.
Three days after being bitten by a brown recluse spider, there is a large necrotic area of skin, which means all the skin in the location of the bite will have died, and the venom penetrates and kills muscle and fatty tissue, leaving an ugly gaping wound that can only be described as like looking at a piece of raw meat. This will not heal on its own, and after nine days the wound will have continued to grow until it can be a life-threatening condition open to severe infection.
The best way to avoid spider bites is by using a liberal amount of Deet all over the body. Deet contains many unfriendly chemicals to both the human body and spiders but is regarded as the best defense. However, it should not be used on children under 2. As a natural spider repellent you can use oil of calendula or oil of eucalyptus effectively. When moving piles of wood and debris, wear long sleeves and long pants, tie the bottoms of the pants securely with string and tie long sleeves over the ends of gloves so the spider cannot crawl under your clothing.
Learn more about Insect Bite Rashes and Common Spider Bites.
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