Spider Bites - Symptoms and Treatment

Introduction

Of the 40,000 and more species of spiders discovered, only a few can harm humans. Most spiders do not even bite without being provoked. And if they do, most of them have tiny fangs that are not strong enough to penetrate through human skin and cause serious problems. However, a few species could harm humans, like the black widow, brown recluse, etc. This article describes the different venomous spiders, what their bites look like, and the treatment options available.

Are All Spiders Venomous?

All spiders do have a poison gland that secretes into a venom sack. However, most spiders do not have fangs that are long and strong enough to penetrate well into human skin. And they do not usually bite a human unless provoked; they are more likely to hide from a human than bite a human. Only one species of venomous spider - funnel web - found in Australia could bite without being provoked. As a result, spider bites usually show very few clinical findings, except for a few dangerous species that can cause serious complications, even death.

Which Spiders Are Dangerous to Humans?

Of the many species of spiders, only a few are potentially dangerous to people.

They include:

• Black Widow: The most identifiable feature of this species is a red hourglass-shaped coloration on the abdomen. They are shiny black and around half an inch in size. These are usually found in undisturbed areas like woodpiles, leaf piles, fences, and other areas where dirt accumulates and where pests are ample.

• Brown Recluse: The characteristic feature of the brown recluse is its violin-shaped body with six equal-sized eyes, unlike other spiders with eight eyes. These are seen in secluded, dry, and sheltered areas like underwood and leaf piles and deep dark areas like the basement if seen indoors.

• Tarantulas: These are big hairy spiders that are usually kept as pets. They are often not dangerous to humans but could attack if provoked by flicking their fine black hair from their belly at the person.

• Funnel Web: These are the most dangerous spiders worldwide and can attack a person without being provoked. They are funnel-shaped, as the name suggests, and are found in Australia.

• False Black Widow: These look exactly like black widow spiders, except for the red hourglass shape on their back, and are purplish-brown to black.

• Hobo Spider: The characteristic feature of this spider is the grey v-shaped pattern on its belly. These are brown and build funnel-shaped webs. They are found in moist and dark places like basements, window wells, and woodpiles.

What Does a Spider Bite Look Like?

A spider bite may look like any other bug bite and could go unnoticed until a few hours. Then, it could be - a red bump or swelling, painful, and sometimes itchy.

1) Black Widow: Symptoms of a black widow spider bite include:

• Pain similar to a pinprick and double fang marks may be seen.

• Difficulty breathing.

• Stomach stiffness.

• Stomachache.

• Headache.

• Cramping pain in the chest, shoulder, and back.

• Profuse sweating.

• Restlessness.

• Nausea and vomiting.

• Swelling of the eyelid.

• Increased saliva secretion.

• Tearing of the eye.

• Skin rash.

2) Brown Recluse: Symptoms of the bite of a brown recluse spider include:

• Initially painless, but later becomes red and painful.

• Loxoscelism syndrome: The area around the bite becomes dusky, and an open sore forms as the skin around the bite dies.

• Swelling and redness around the bite - white blister surrounded by reddish-purple ring - bull’s eye like appearance.

• Pus-filled blisters.

• Joint stiffness.

• Fever.

• Body rash.

• Nausea and vomiting.

• Fever and body ache.

• It can even cause serious complications like coma, blood in the urine, seizures, kidney failure, etc.

3) Tarantulas: These do not usually cause major symptoms as their venom is not dangerous for humans but can cause fever and elevated body temperature. The tarantulas may also flick their fine hair; if these enter the eye, they can cause inflammation of all layers of the eye.

4) Funnel Web: Symptoms of a funnel-web spider bite include:

• Pain.

• Profuse sweating.

• Skin rashes.

• Bristling hair.

• Hypertension (elevated blood pressure).

• Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat).

• Muscle twitch.

• Mouth numbness.

• Non-cardiac pulmonary edema (excess fluid accumulation in the lung, not caused due to increased pressure in the heart).

• Anxiety.

• Nausea and vomiting.

• Salivation.

• Tears.

5) False Black Widow: Symptoms of a false black widow spider bite include:

• Pain in the area of the bite increases in the first hour.

• Blisters around the site of the bite.

• Headache.

• Upset stomach.

6) Hobo Spider: Symptoms of a hobo spider bite include:

• Similar to brown recluse, except the necrosis/cell death.

• Mild pain and redness

• Slight swelling

When to Consult a Doctor?

Consult a healthcare provider immediately in case of symptoms like swelling, stomach ache, cramps in the leg and chest, breathing troubles, allergic reactions, etc. Also, look for bull’s eye lesions, spreading redness, progressively increasing pain, and discharges from the bite.

What Are the Treatment Options for Spider Bites?

First Aid is the immediate step to follow if one gets a spider bite.

1) First Aid:

• Identifying the type of spider, if possible, could help provide appropriate treatment.

• Wash the bite area thoroughly with soap.

• Cold compress - cover the bite area with a cold, damp cloth or an ice pack to reduce swelling.

• Elevate the leg or arm the spider bite.

• Do not try to remove the venom.

• Take a painkiller to relieve pain or an antihistamine (allergy medicine) to help with swelling and itching.

Treatment measures majorly depend on the type of spider bite and the severity of symptoms. However, the doctor might advise muscle relaxants, antihistamines, and painkillers for most cases.

2) For A Black Widow Spider Bite: Most victims of black widow spiders do not require hospitalization and get better with prescription drugs. If the victim is very young or immunocompromised, an antivenom is suggested. However, doctors do not usually insist on treatment with the antivenom, as many people have shown an allergic reaction to the antivenom and died.

3) For Brown Recluse Spider Bite: In case of a brown recluse bite, wound debris excision, cleaning and maintenance are advised. The wound would take about a month to heal completely.

4) For Funnel Web Spider: A bandage is tied to prevent the flow of the venom into the body, and antivenom is administered within 15 minutes.

5) In The Hobo Spider: The treatment is similar to that of the brown recluse.

How to Prevent Spider Bite?

Most spiders do not bite unless provoked. However, spider bites can be prevented by -

• Know about different types of spiders and their habitats.

• Apply EPA (environmental protection agency) registered insect repellents.

• Wear long-sleeved clothes, boots, and other protective gear while cleaning basements or sheds, and other crawl spaces.

• Inspect clothes and boots before wearing them.

• Remove spider webs.

• Do not keep piles of wood, leaves, and rocks near the house.

• Keep your bed away from the wall.

• When keeping things in the storage room, keep them in closed or taped covers or boxes to prevent spiders from crawling into them.

• Be careful when pulling out things from storage that were undisturbed for a long time.

Conclusion

Most spiders contain venom, but they are usually not dangerous for humans, as most have tiny fangs that can not penetrate the skin. However, a few venomous spiders could cause harmful reactions in humans. Although most symptoms of a spider bite resolve with first aid treatment and prescription drugs, few major complications require hospitalization and proper care. The best step to follow is to prevent a spider bite by being aware of the areas that they may inhabit and not provoking them to bite since most spiders do not bite unless they are provoked.