Table of contents:

First aid for a snakebite: what can and can not be done
First aid for a snakebite: what can and can not be done
Anonim

It turns out that sucking out the poison and applying a tourniquet is useless and even dangerous.

What to do if bitten by a snake
What to do if bitten by a snake

How to provide first aid for a snake bite

1. Stay away from the snake

Otherwise, she may bite again. The minimum distance to the reptile should be equal to the length of its body.

Image
Image

Georgy Budarkevich instructor of the training center "ProPomoshch", certified rescuer, organizer and judge of the first aid competition

Do not try to kill the snake or pick it up if it is dead. There were cases when the head of a snake, even when separated from the body, reflexively clenched its jaws.

2. Call an ambulance immediately

The venom of some snakes penetrates the body very quickly and leads to death. Therefore, if possible, dial 103 or 112 as soon as possible.

It is very good if you remember what a snake looks like. Give the dispatcher the details and tell the exact location of the bite.

If there is someone nearby who can take the victim to the hospital faster than an ambulance arrives, ask them to do so.

3. Take a picture of the snake

If the snake did not have time to crawl far away, and the phone is at hand, take a picture of it or ask someone who is next to you to do it.

4. Remove or unfasten anything that might crush

A snakebite can cause severe swelling. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to remove rings, bracelets and watches that are located near the affected area. They can bite into the skin painfully.

Tight clothes should be unbuttoned so that they do not press, but do not take off: unnecessary movements are useless. With a bite in the leg, you need to carefully take off your shoes.

5. Cover the wound with a loose bandage

Gently clean the wound with a damp cloth and antiseptic or soap and water. Then apply a clean, dry bandage so that it does not press or tighten the skin. This prevents dirt and germs from entering the wound.

6. Keep Calm

Calm down the victim or try to calm down yourself if you are bitten. Panic will only worsen the situation, the heart will beat faster and help spread the poison throughout the body.

To slow down its spread, you need to sit or lie comfortably and not move, and keep the affected area below the level of the heart, if possible.

7. Leave a note for doctors

This point is especially important for those who are far from the hospital and cannot get medical help quickly.

Write the date and time of the bite next to the affected area or on paper. Here, record all the symptoms that appear and the amount of redness. If possible, measure the circumference of the limb below and above the bite site. Make a note of this data too.

Georgy Budarkevich

What to do in case of complications

Sometimes a snake bite causes anaphylactic shock, a life-threatening condition. Here are the main symptoms:

  • itching, hives, and redness of the skin;
  • swollen face, neck, lips, tongue, and throat;
  • shortness of breath and wheezing;
  • fast heartbeat;
  • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
  • dizziness and confusion in speech;
  • fainting;
  • blindness;
  • cold and clammy skin.

These signs may appear immediately or several hours after the bite. In any case, you need to act very quickly.

If you haven't called an ambulance yet, call immediately. Tell the dispatcher that you suspect anaphylaxis.

Lay the victim on their back, and if they vomit, turn them on their side. If you have an adrenaline autoinjector on hand, insert it into your thigh.

Start cardiopulmonary resuscitation if the person is unconscious and unable to breathe. Continue until an ambulance arrives.

Do not leave the sick person alone, even if their condition has improved. The attack may recur.

Antihistamines are useless for anaphylaxis - they will not have time to work.

What not to do if bitten by a snake

The World Health Organization recommends avoiding these methods of removing venom from a wound.

1. Suck out the poison

Surely you have seen more than once how in the films the actors heroically suck the poison in order to save the one bitten by the snake from certain death. But not everything that is shown in films is applicable in life.

Studies have shown that suction by mouth or mechanical devices is ineffective. It was possible to remove only from 0.04 to 2% of the poison. Sucking the poison out by mouth can increase wound infection and cause an abscess, and can be hazardous to the rescuer as the poison can be absorbed through the oral mucosa.

Georgy Budarkevich

2. Cutting the wound

It is not worth cutting the wound to bleed and let the poison escape. First, one cannot know for sure how far the poison has spread through the body. Secondly, it will only open up the wound, make it bigger and complicate the situation. Thirdly, there is a risk of contamination or dirt.

At the same time, according to Georgy Budarkevich, there will be no positive effect.

3. Use a tourniquet

Another common misconception: to prevent the blood from spreading poison throughout the body, you need to tightly bandage the wound with a tourniquet.

In fact, as scientists have found, the application of a tourniquet is not only useless, but also harmful. Because of it, respiratory paralysis can develop.

The effectiveness of the application of the tourniquet has not been confirmed in any of the studies. In this case, the imposition of an arterial or venous tourniquet significantly increases the risk of ischemia and gangrene. This can lead to amputation.

Georgy Budarkevich

How to prevent a snake bite

First aid for a snake bite
First aid for a snake bite

To do this, it is enough to follow simple rules:

  1. Look carefully under your feet, do not ignore warning signs, if any.
  2. Avoid places where snakes can be: bushes, tall grass, rocky areas, logs, cliffs, swamps, deep holes in the ground.
  3. Use a stick to probe the ground in front of you if you are walking through tall grass. This will scare away the snake.
  4. Be sure to shine a flashlight on yourself at night.
  5. Wear tight long pants and leather or rubber boots.
  6. Do not get close to the snake or pick it up, even if it seems that it is dead.
  7. Use a stick to grab something from under rocks or from a crevice. Do not meddle with your hands.
  8. Freeze and do not move if you are too close to the snake. Most likely, it will not touch you and will simply crawl away.

Recommended:

First aid for fracture: what can and cannot be done

First aid for fracture: what can and cannot be done

Let's be honest, there isn't much you can do. But even a little thing can sometimes save a life. Cracked or broken bone (no matter where: in the arm, leg, ribs, pelvis …) is not always obvious. Meanwhile, its sharp edges, hidden under the skin and inside tissues, can disrupt the integrity of large blood vessels or even pierce vital organs.

First aid for dislocation: what can and cannot be done

First aid for dislocation: what can and cannot be done

First of all, give the affected joint maximum stiffness and apply something cold. Take a pain reliever and hurry up to see a doctor

First aid for fainting: what can and cannot be done

First aid for fainting: what can and cannot be done

If fainting lasts longer than a minute, call an ambulance immediately. Do not try to lift and seat the victim. You need to put the person on their back: this will quickly improve blood circulation in the brain

First aid for injury: what can and cannot be done

First aid for injury: what can and cannot be done

First aid for injury is simple. Try to move less, cool the bruised area, apply a tight bandage. The main thing is not to miss dangerous symptoms

First aid for hypothermia: what can and cannot be done

First aid for hypothermia: what can and cannot be done

The life hacker understands how to provide first aid for hypothermia to himself and to someone else. A hot bath in this state can be deadly