With summer soon approaching all the little bugs and critters are just around the corner. Do you know what to do if you or your family member gets a bite while out camping, mowing the lawn or even setting out on your deck or patio? Bites from insects such as bees, fleas, mosquitoes, wasps, hornets or chiggers can be dangerous if you are allergic to the bite or sting.
Treatment
* If you get a bee sting and the stinger is still in your skin, gently pluck it out. Be careful not to break the stinger off. Take your time and remove it slowly so that you can get the whole stinger with its poison out.
* Wash the area with soap and water.
* Apply a spray or cream from your medical kit for stings and bites. Some people like to apply meat tenderizer mixed into a paste on top of the sting.
* Seek medical help if a large amount of swelling takes place. Some people are extremely allergic to insect bites and must always be taken to the hospital when bitten. If this is the case, and your family is camping, make sure you know where the nearest hospital is located.
* Try not to scratch a bite, as this can cause secondary infection and allow the poison to spread more quickly.
Black Widow spider bite
Most people run from the sight of any black spider just in case it is a black widow. But what if your camping or hiking and don’t even see it coming until it’s too late? This bite is considered a serious injury especially when it affects children. This poisonous bite can lead to death if untreated. Bites from these dreadful spiders cause severe abdominal pain and a severe stiffness of the abdominal muscles.
How can you tell if black widow spider bit you?
The spider will have a round, jet-black body with a red marking on its belly in the shape of an hourglass. This is the female of the species and the one you’ll want to dodge because the male black widow doesn’t bite.
Treatment
* Wash the bite off with soap and water.
* This bite should be treated like a snakebite.
* You can apply a bandage above the bite made just tight enough to stop the return circulation. But be sure to check for the pulse and make sure the bandage is loose enough that you can get your finger inside it.
* Medical help should be obtained as fast as possible to counteract the bite of the spider.
* Try to keep the victim quiet and still to avoid spreading the poison.
Snake Bite
People who go camping, hikers and those who live in snake-inhabited areas should always be aware of the dangers of snakes. If a snake bites you you may not know if it is poisonous. If you’re not sure, treat it as a poisonous bite.
* Wash the bite off with soap and water.
* Keep the bitten area lower than the heart.
* The victim should be kept quiet and immobile to avoid spreading the poison. If you are unable to get to the hospital within 30 minutes, you can apply a bandage above the bite but do not apply it tight enough to stop blood flow. Always check to see if you can feel the pulse.
* Today’s snakebite kits come with a suction device that can be placed over the wound to draw out poison.
* Get the victim to the hospital as quickly as possible for medical care. The doctor will most likely give an antidote such as antivenin. If you can identify the type of snake that bit the victim it will be helpful to the medical staff in treatment.
Poisonous snakes commonly found in the U.S.: The coral snake, the rattlesnake, the copperhead and the moccasin (cottonmouth).