What to do if a snake bites you? The toxicologist told him how to protect himself from snakes.
Aug 5, 2023 03:30 pm UTC Audio Version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
And the first aid instructor explained what should not be done in any case.
toxicologist, candidate of medical sciences, MD, Ph.D. Israel
In the summer, especially when it is hot, snake activity increases. Be careful when you leave the city, because there you really find yourself in a hostile environment: all kinds of poisonous plants, insects, including snakes. What measures can be taken and what to do with a snake bite?
Snake venom is divided into two types.
Paralytic nerve, causing convulsions, paralysis of nerves and muscles. Hemolytic, characterized by pain, swelling and multiple bleeding at the site of the bite.
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What to do with a bite
The first thing that a bitten person experiences is sharp, sharp pain. There are two tooth wounds. The bite site should be immobilized, cold applied and be sure to call an ambulance. The closer the bite is to the nerve endings, the worse the consequences can be.
The most dangerous bite sites are the fingertips, face and head.
Also, when a snake bites, swelling or bruising occurs, as a result of which red streaks appear along the lymphatic vessels. Then comes general poisoning: dry mouth, thirst, drowsiness, vomiting and loose stools.
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Wash the wound with running water. It is necessary to protect the bite site from infection – apply a sterile bandage. Snake bites are dangerous, but not fatal. And only people with a severe allergic reaction to the poison can die.
what not to do
First Aid Trainer Emergency First Response
Any misfortune is easier to prevent than to correct the consequences, so first learn safety precautions when meeting snakes.
Do not approach the sighted snake, even if you want to photograph it; moving away from the snake, do it slowly, without sudden movements, so as not to provoke aggression; try to avoid places with tall grass in snake habitats; avoid favorite habitats of reptiles, sunny places in humid forest or swampy area.
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If it was not possible to avoid a close acquaintance, we recall the rules of first aid for bites of poisonous creatures:
Remember / take a photo of the “reptile”, this will allow the doctors to inject a specific antidote serum for the venom of the snake you bit. Apply a tight bandage and apply cold to the bandage in the wound area: this will slow down the absorption and spread of the poison. Immobilize the limb with a splint or sling. Drink a lot of water, this will reduce the concentration of poison in the blood. The ideal is to ensure the complete rest of the victim. Contact a medical organization or call an ambulance.
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What we never do:
do not use such advertised antihistamines for bites, this is not first aid and can lead to complications; do not suck the poison out of the wound to avoid allergies, and the structure of the snake’s teeth is such that the wound channel is curved, and the poison is physically almost impossible to extract outward; do not apply a tourniquet to the limb, this increases the single concentration of poison that enters the body after removing the product; do not cut the wounds, do not cauterize, this will lead to a possible infection of the wound and will not remove the poison; alcohol in case of poisoning is unacceptable.
Remember: no one likes to be touched by their hands, including snakes.
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6 dangers that lie in wait for us in nature. How to avoid them
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