Should you be afraid of a spider bite? (Spider Bites) Let's talk about this in detail!

We have spiders in our homes and gardens, right? Sometimes they help us catch small insects, but if we get bitten by a spider, we get a little scared. Are all spider bites really dangerous? Or are we just scared? Let's find out more about this, so you can get a clearer idea.

What is spider venom? Is it really something to be afraid of?

Simply put, spiders produce venom in their bodies that they use to paralyze and kill their prey, which is small insects. That's their hunting method. But here's the thing: most spiders don't have fangs big enough to harm humans. That is, their fangs aren't strong enough to pierce our skin.

A spider will only bite or sting us if they feel threatened . Imagine, if you accidentally pinch it or touch it, it might get scared and bite to protect itself. Just like we scream when we're scared.

Actually, spiders are a species of animals that help us a lot by eating insects that damage agriculture. So don't kill them for no reason.

Should we in Sri Lanka also be concerned about spider bites?

There are thousands of species of spiders around the world. In some countries, for example in America, there are species of spiders that can be very dangerous to humans. Let's learn a little about them too.

Types of spiders that can be dangerous (let's learn a little about these)

These types of spiders are not commonly seen in Sri Lanka. However, it is important to be aware of these dangerous spiders to understand the seriousness of a spider bite.

• Black Widow Spider: This is a black spider. It has a red hourglass-shaped mark on the underside of its abdomen. They like to build webs in woodpiles, under the roofs of buildings, and on fences.
• Brown Recluse Spider: This is a brown spider. Some people also call it the "violin spider" because of the dark violin-shaped mark on the side of its head. They like to live in dry, sheltered places, such as under logs, rocks, and leaf litter. Indoors, they can live in dark closets, attics, and under shoes.
• Hobo Spider: This is a brown spider with a gray V-shaped pattern on its abdomen. They build funnel-shaped webs in dark, damp basements, crawl spaces, window sills, and woodpiles.

Important: Although these spiders are not common in Sri Lanka, if you are ever bitten by a spider and develop severe symptoms, such as fever, severe pain, difficulty breathing, or the wound spreading, you should definitely see a doctor immediately.

Not that dangerous, but what happens if you get bitten?

It is said that there are about 50,000 species of spiders in the world. The venom of most spiders is not strong enough to harm humans, nor are their fangs large enough to penetrate our skin. But they can still bite if they feel threatened.

For example:

• Wolf Spider: These are quite large and can be brown or gray in color. If bitten, the skin may become irritated, red, painful, and swollen. However, you usually don't need to see a doctor.
• Jumping Spider: A small, short, and bouncy spider that can live in homes. It gets its name from its ability to jump. The bite is usually not dangerous.
• Banana Spider: The female has a long, yellow body that resembles a banana, hence the name. The bite may feel like a bee sting. There may be some redness and swelling, but it will heal quickly.

How common are spider bites?

There are no exact statistics on how many people are bitten by spiders each year. Most of the time, we don't even know if a spider bit us. We may think we were bitten by another insect, a mosquito, or an ant.

Spider bites are particularly dangerous for young children (due to their small body size) and people over 60 years of age (possibly due to weakened immune systems or other medical conditions). Deaths from spider bites are rare in Sri Lanka. If they do occur, they are most likely to be in a small child.

What does a spider bite look like? What are the symptoms?

The appearance and symptoms of a spider bite vary depending on the type of spider.

Symptoms of a common (not so dangerous) spider bite

• Usually, when a spider bites, you can see two small, rough lines. A small blister may sometimes appear at that location.
• The skin in that area may become red, slightly swollen, and itchy.
• Sometimes you may feel a little pain .
• These symptoms usually subside within a few days.

Be very aware of these signs of a dangerous spider bite!

These symptoms come from the previously mentioned `(Black Widow)` and `(Brown Recluse)` spiders, which are considered the most dangerous in the world. Although these are not common in Sri Lanka, it is important to recognize that if such symptoms occur, it is a serious condition.

• If you are bitten by a spider like the Black Widow:
• The bite causes a sharp pain , like a prick from a thorn. Then the area starts to tingle.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Drooping eyelids, swollen eyes.
• Headache .
• Excessive salivation.
• Vomiting and nausea.
• Severe muscle spasms and tightness in the abdomen, shoulders, chest, and back.
• Excessive sweating.
• Skin irritation and itching.
• If you are bitten by a spider like the Brown Recluse:
• The pain may go away immediately after the bite. The pain may come back about an hour later.
• The bite site may develop a blister, with a red/blue bull's-eye-like area around it. This blister may burst and form a skin ulcer, which may later leave a scar.
• Itching at the bite site or all over the body.
• If you are bitten by a spider like the Hobo Spider:
• The pain is minimal, but a severe headache may occur within minutes or hours of the bite. This may last for about a week.
• The skin at the site of the bite will tighten within 30 minutes.
• Skin redness and swelling.
• Blisters that ooze pus.
• Tired.
• Nausea.
• Cognitive impairment.

Again, these types of spiders are not common in Sri Lanka. However, if after any spider bite, you experience fever, severe pain, difficulty breathing, or the wound is getting worse or spreading, it is not normal. If this happens, definitely see a doctor.

Why do spiders bite us?

Spiders are not usually the type of animals that intentionally bother people. They only bite or sting us when they feel threatened or need to defend themselves. They bite when we accidentally touch their web, get too close to them, or get caught in our clothing.

Who is at higher risk of spider bites?

Anyone can accidentally come into contact with a spider and get bitten. However, some people are at a higher risk because of their occupation or the places they hang out. For example:

• People who work outdoors: gardeners, farmers, and road cleaners.
• Little children playing in piles of wood, piles of rocks, and piles of leaves.
• Hikers .
• Cleaning workers (when cleaning places with old things, attics).
• People who operate machines (perhaps there are spiders behind the machines).
• You also need to be careful when cleaning out closets, attics, and storage rooms that contain old items.

What are the possible complications of a spider bite?

Most of the time, a normal spider bite does not cause major complications. However, if you are bitten by one of the more dangerous spider species (which are not common in Sri Lanka), some problems can arise.

• Some spider bites, such as the Brown Recluse, can cause a skin ulcer. If this ulcer does not heal, surgery may be necessary.
• Spider bites like the ``Black Widow'' are the most dangerous. There are times when children under the age of 16 and people over the age of 60 need to be hospitalized for treatment, especially if things like this happen:
• Difficulty breathing.
• Heart symptoms (like a fast heartbeat).
• High blood pressure.
• Severe muscle pain and twitching.

How do you know for sure if you've been bitten by a spider? How does a doctor diagnose this?

This is a bit of a tricky question. The best way to know for sure if you've been bitten by a spider, and what kind of spider it was, is to see the spider that bit you and identify it. Otherwise, there's no special blood test to confirm for sure if it was a spider bite.

Your doctor will make a diagnosis based on your symptoms. They will look at the details you give them, the area where the bite occurred, and whether there is swelling, redness, or blistering. Sometimes, a sample of fluid from the blister may be sent to a lab to check for other skin infections, such as MRSA. Some skin infections can have similar symptoms to spider bites.

What should we do if we get bitten by a spider? (First aid)

Okay, now let's see what we should do immediately if we get bitten by a spider. These are the first aid measures.

• Most importantly: Never try to suck out the venom from a spider bite. It won't do any good, and may even make the wound worse.
• Wash the bite area thoroughly with soap and lukewarm water. This can help reduce the risk of germs entering.
• Place a wet cloth or ice pack on the area. This will help reduce the pain and swelling a bit. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes, then remove it and put it back on again after a while.
• Keep the bite site slightly elevated. For example, if it's an arm, keep the arm elevated, or if it's a leg, keep the leg elevated. This will also reduce swelling.
• To reduce itching and swelling , take an antihistamine (allergy medicine) that you can buy from a pharmacy.
• For pain and swelling , take a common painkiller that you can buy from a pharmacy, for example, something like Paracetamol.

Don't forget: If you have severe symptoms (like the dangerous symptoms we talked about earlier - difficulty breathing, severe pain, spreading of the wound, fever) seek medical advice immediately! Don't stay home.

How does a doctor treat?

When you go to a doctor, they will treat you based on your symptoms and the type of spider that bit you (if they can identify it).

• Treatment for a bite from a spider like the ``Black Widow'' (remember that these are not common in Sri Lanka):
• Black widow antivenom / antivenin.
• Muscle relaxants.
• Sedatives.
• Painkillers.
• For spider bites like `(Brown Recluse)` and `(Hobo Spider)` (these are also not common in Sri Lanka):
• Clean the wound with a Povidone-iodine solution daily to prevent infection.
• Wash the bite area with sterile saltwater / saline solution three times a day.

In Sri Lanka, a common spider bite is often treated symptomatically. For example:

• Medicine (cream or pills) to reduce itching.
• Medicine to reduce pain.
• Medicine to reduce swelling.
• If the wound is infected, antibiotics may be given.

How to protect yourself from spider bites?

"Prevention is better than cure," they say. So, there are a few things we can do to protect ourselves from spider bites.

• Keep your home clean: Sweep your house regularly and remove cobwebs. Pay special attention to areas like under cupboards, under beds, and around the house.
• Do not pile up piles of wood, rocks, or leaves near your home. If you do, be careful and wear gloves when removing them.
• Before using unused items like shoes, socks, and hats, check them carefully to see if there are any spiders inside.
• When working in the garden or going into forested areas, wear long-sleeved pants, shoes, and gloves if possible.
• When clothes are drying outside, shake them out thoroughly before bringing them indoors at night.
• You can apply some kind of insect repellant, especially when going to forested areas.
• You can apply an insecticide like `(Permethrin)` to your clothes and shoes (this kills and repels insects). However, you should follow the instructions carefully when using these.
• When putting wood in the stove, check carefully for spiders before bringing the wood into the house.

What happens after this? (Prognosis)

Most spider bites, such as pain and swelling, gradually subside with home care. You can recover completely in a few days.

But if you get bitten by a dangerous spider like the `(Black Widow)` and `(Brown Recluse)` that we talked about (which are not common in Sri Lanka), the symptoms can be severe and recovery can take a long time. However , if you get proper medical treatment, most people recover from these types of venomous spider bites.

What are the best times to see a doctor? (A reminder)

If you have any of these symptoms, see a doctor without delay:

• Difficulty breathing.
• Heart symptoms such as heart palpitations and rapid pulse.
• Nausea and vomiting (if persistent).
• Severe muscle pain, dizziness, a feeling of being out of control, a state similar to paralysis.
• Signs of infection – fever, yellow pus-like fluid draining from the bite site, redness, warmth, and increased swelling.
• Visual disturbances or severe headaches .
• If the wound at the bite site is getting bigger, spreading, or turning purple around it.

What else can you ask the doctor about this?

If you have any questions or concerns about a spider bite, you can ask your doctor things like:

• "Doctor, what is the best treatment for these symptoms of mine?"
• "What should I do to avoid spider bites in the future?"
• "Am I at risk of other complications from this?"
• "Should I be on the lookout for signs of complications? What are those signs?"

Although we may be a little afraid of spiders, they actually do a great service to the environment. They help control insects that damage agriculture. Spiders actually have no reason to bite us. They only do so if they are trapped or if they need to protect themselves. Most spider bites are not dangerous. Your doctor can help you relieve the symptoms with home remedies. However, if you are bitten by one of the dangerous spiders we talked about earlier (although not common in Sri Lanka), or if you experience severe symptoms (because most of the time we don't see what we have eaten), seek medical advice immediately.

Take-Home Message

• Not all spider bites are dangerous. Most often, there is only a little swelling, redness, and itching that will go away in a few days.
• If you get bitten by a spider, wash the area with soap and apply ice. You can take allergy medicine for the itching and paracetamol for the pain.
• Never try to inhale poison. It won't help.
• If you have severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, severe pain, spreading of the wound, fever, or muscle twitching, see a doctor immediately.
• Spider bites can be largely prevented by keeping your home and yard clean, and by being careful when getting rid of old items and bringing in firewood.
• If you have any doubts, don't be afraid, talk to a doctor and get advice. That's the best thing to do.

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